Disability Services Directorate

PROFILE & SERVICES

Click on the headings below for further information:

Our Vision
Our Mission
Our Values
Our Clients
Accommodation Options
Our Services
Criteria for Service Access
Individual Planning
Our Staff
The Developmental Disability Clinic

OUR VISION

People with disabilities will live in a range of community settings and access services that are based on individual needs and support their inclusion in the community.

OUR MISSION

To work with people with disabilities to achieve community inclusion by offering:
High quality rehabilitation and support services that are individualised and responsive.

Support for different choices and lifestyles within our capacity and resource.
Empowerment to make decisions that affect their daily lives.

As such,

We recognise the right of people with disabilities to be valued members of society.

We respect and support freedom of choice and associated responsibility, development of individual potential, and active involvement in the community.
We encourage inclusion, independence, and participation.

OUR VALUES

People are most important.
We will listen and we will act.
It is okay to be different.
We can make a difference.

OUR CLIENTS

A unique feature of our Service is that we accept people with varying types of disabilities – acquired brain injury, spinal cord injury, developmental disability, and degenerative neurological conditions. Individuals with complex support needs e.g. high levels of complex physical support needs or mental health co-occurring with other disabling conditions can also be accepted.

The rehabilitation and support needs of the individual client vary. Most clients require activity based rehabilitation along with support with personal care, activities of daily living, community access and networking, healthcare or financial management. Other support needs include mental health care and support, positive behaviour support and life skills training.

ACCOMMODATION OPTIONS

We have a mix of accommodation options available, including:

Community Support Options
This specialises in the provision of rehabilitation in different community accommodation options, ranging from independent living units to small group homes.

Weemala Extended Care
Weemala is a large residential facility which provides long-term rehabilitation and support services to clients with complex support needs. This facility is located within the grounds of ROYAL REHAB at Ryde.

Transition Unit
This 4 bed Transition Unit is located within the Weemala Extended Care facility at Royal Rehab in Ryde.

OUR SERVICES

The DSD structures its services into 4 models, which are available across the above accommodation options, these are:

Supported Living Service
The Supported Living Service provides activity based rehabilitation with continuous complex and intensive health care and social support services for people with a range of disabilities and health problems, for example: acquired brain injury, spinal cord injury, intellectual disability, advanced multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, sensory impairments. Individuals are also at high risk of a range of health conditions, such as aspiration, pneumonia, compromised skin integrity, and fluctuations in respiration, continence or blood pressure. Clients require ongoing support by skilled professionals to ensure appropriate management of their actual and potential health status.

Through its focus of maintaining maximum health, this program maximises the individual’s potential to live a fulfilling life in a stimulating and supportive environment, in the least restrictive way.

Assisted Living Service
The Assisted Living Service provides rehabilitation and support for clients with disabilities to live, socialise and participate in the community, as well as providing individualised health care support as required. This program is designed for people with a range of disabilities and health problems.

This Service focuses on providing support and assistance in life-skills such as personal care, community

Transition Assisted Living Service
The Transition Assisted Living Service provides short stay accommodation (reviewed 6 monthly), for clients of Royal Rehab who have completed the active stage of their rehabilitation, are waiting for permanent accommodation or need less intensive rehabilitation. In both situations clients required a discharge plan. Clients use the services of the DSD multi-occupational support team based on assessed individual need.

Independent Living Service
The Independent Living Service provides low frequency/low intensity rehabilitation within a drop-in support service to clients with disabilities who live independently in the community.

Additional Services
We also provide a number of additional services, including:

In-home family support
Health services
Respite care
Brokerage services
Development of service models or proposal for individuals with disability

CRITERIA FOR SERVICE ACCESS

Summary

Adults aged 18 and above.

Majority of clients referred to DSD must have recurrent funding for housing and support services, or for community access services, depending on type of service model requested. Funding generally comes from Dept of Ageing, Disability and Home Care (DADHC) or NSW Health. Other funding options are accepted.

Support needs that can be satisfactorily met within resources available.
Consent from client and/or family member or significant others to abide by Royal Rehab policies and procedures.

Where individuals are referred to our Service because of a crisis or as a temporary placement, the referring agency / person needs to produce an exit plan.

Agreement by client and / or guardian to sign the Service Support Agreement and Tenancy Agreement.

INDIVIDUAL PLANNING

All clients receive a service that is designed to meet his or her support needs and personal goals. The Individual Planning process provides this framework within which the DSD and its team operate. It reflects an integrated practice and service provision model that is delivered by the multi-occupational team and incorporates all aspects of individual planning and client care.

The service needs, goals, and aspirations of the client are recorded in Individual Plans (IPs). The IPs are person-centred and person-directed in consultation with significant others. Examples of goals are: access to TAFE to do a computer course, assistance with finding appropriate employment or linking a client to leisure or recreation activities, such as sailing for people with a disability.

Programs of Support
The DSD utilises a ‘Programs of Support’ approach within its Individual Planning framework. Using the Active Support Model, client support needs are matched with adequate and appropriate staff support. A multi-occupational team approach is used as the core staffing model.

The main purposes of our Programs of Support model are:

To provide services based on individual needs
To measure the outcomes of service provision based on individual assessed needs
To ensure appropriately trained staff with the necessary skills to provide the service to residents; and
To integrate support services so that Direct Service staff, Nursing, and Allied Health work more closely together.

Examples of just some of the programs that DSD offer are:

Active Support Model
This is a structured format utilised by direct service staff, to provide rehabilitation and support to clients so they can participate in everyday activities. It provides guidelines and an organising framework which enables staff to engage with clients to firstly identifying numerous activities, then to creatively find ways to support the client to carry these activities out and contribute to the best of their abilities. The principal underpinning Active Support is that staff should be predominantly engaged in working directly with clients, as opposed to doing work for clients.

Recreation & Leisure Program
The DSD Recreation & Leisure Program offers:

Individualised program planning and development through a comprehensive Leisure and Lifestyle Assessment.

A range of centre-based activities, including art, textiles, sing star (karaoke), cooking, sensory overload, newspaper group, cognitive games, aromatherapy, gardening, and physical games.

A range of contracted services, including art, storytelling, music therapy, massage, beauty therapy and reflexology.

Specialised community access, including lawn bowls, fishing, tenpin bowling, and swimming.

Group community access, including picnics, museums, shows, pubs & clubs, coffee shop, aquariums, wildlife parks and many more.

Health Care Program
We are committed to improving the health of our clients through an individualised health management system.

All clients have an annual Health Assessment, a Health Care Plan, and associated Health Management Plans (where required). Other components of the Health Care System include expert professionals providing the following:

Liaison with GPs and external health care teams and professionals.
Education, training and development for clients in the principles of health promotion and healthy lifestyles.
Expert guidance and advice to the health assessment process.
Training direct support staff in the skills of providing appropriate health care for clients in response to Health Care Plans.

Within Community Services, the health care program is co-ordinated by the Health Services Consultant. The identified health care needs of each person are documented within a Health Care Plan. Health care planning includes an annual comprehensive health check, including a GP check, the completion of a general health assessment, nutrition and swallowing checklist and the development or review of specific health management protocols. Clients access local GP services or local hospitals for allied health needs.

Within Weemala, the health care program is delivered by an experienced nursing and allied health team with a diversity of education and abilities working collaboratively and cooperatively with shared responsibility for assessment, planning, delivery and evaluation of client care.

DSD Allied Health Services & Consultancy
The DSD Allied Health Team provides a range of assessments and intervention programs based on individual support needs, examples include:

Communication development
Seating
Personal care assessment
Swallowing assessment
Life skills assessment & training
Wheelchair skills training

In some cases, where DSD does not have the expertise or capacity to provide specialist services, we facilitate their availability through networking with other appropriate organisations.

Positive Behaviour Support
DSD is committed to providing a safe environment for everyone in our service through a comprehensive behaviour support system. We have a Behaviour Support & Active Support Coordinator and Clinical Psychologist who work closely with direct service staff to ensure effective and positive outcomes.

External Programs
Many of our clients who live in our community support options attend day program services, community disability services, or TAFE. Most clients access and actively participate in community services or clubs, such as Lions, local council committees, bowling clubs, community groups, church services, RSL clubs, library or local disability services. Or there are also “in-house” services provided as in the case for Weemala clients, such as Music Therapy, Art, drama, and allied health services. Networks with local and generic community services are established to assist the individual to develop ‘natural support’ systems.

OUR STAFF

The framework through which services are delivered is via multi-occupational teams, where team members operate from a shared approach to client care, within defined and agreed practices.

We currently employ over 150 employees. The expertise of staff members include rehabilitation, nursing, disabilities, allied health, recreation and life skills development, special education, and behaviour support. Recruitment is based on selection criteria that are disability and client focused. Clients are active participants in this process through their involvement as members of selection panels.

Staff Training and Development
Continuing education (focusing on supporting and facilitating people with disabilities to live in the community) and professional development remain a strong focus of the Service through:

Performance Development & Review Program
Regular in-service training for staff and management
Courses and seminars
National and international conferences or workshops relevant to disability or professional development

DSD staff attend the annual Royal Rehab Mandatory Training Program, co-ordinated through the Royal Rehab Learning and Development Centre. This ensures annual training, education and personal competence is provided in topics such as:

Fire prevention
Infection control
CPR
Manual handling

Click here to access Disability Services Directory Organistion Chart

The Developmental Disability Clinic

The Centre for Developmental Disability Studies operates a specialised health clinic at the Royal Rehab for people with developmental disabilities. The medical practitioners who consult at the clinic have experience in the assessment and management of health problems of people with developmental disabilities. The clinicians work in conjunction with the person’s general practitioner and refer to specialists and allied health personnel as required.
For appointments, contact the Clinic Nurse Coordinator on 02-9808 9287
(Mondays and Wednesdays only)

More Information:

Accessibility; www.accessibility.com.au
The Spastic Centre; www.thespasticcentre.org.au
The Northcott Society; www.northcott.org.au

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