$205.4m for disability support services

Budget 2017 will invest an extra $205.4 million over four years to maintain and improve disability support services, Health Minister Jonathan Coleman and Associate Health Minister Nicky Wagner say.

“The Government is committed to providing disabled people with more support so they can have greater independence and live better lives in their communities,” Dr Coleman says.

“The sector will receive an extra $52.3 million in 2017/18, taking its total funding to $1.2 billion for the year.

“The four-year funding includes $178.2 million for community-based home support, personal care, caregiver support and residential care, as well as equipment services.

“Around 32,000 New Zealanders and their families benefit from these services each year.”

Ms Wagner says that $27.1 million over the next three years will be invested in expanding the successful Enabling Good Lives (EGL) programme, which has benefitted hundreds of disabled people and their families in Waikato and Christchurch.

“This funding will enable us to build on the Waikato and Christchurch demonstrations to create a new system that gives disabled people and their families greater control over their lives,” Ms Wagner says.

EGL is an innovative principles-based approach that empowers disabled people with self-directed planning. The transformation will initially focus on those receiving support from Disability Support Services in the Mid-Central region.