Housing and infrastructure for Aboriginal Peoples living with mental illness and/or psychosocial disability: Submission to the Parliament of South Australia’s Social Development Committee Inquiry into the provision of services for people with mental illness under the transition to the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS)

This submission is made on the call by the Parliament of South Australia’s Social Development Committee Inquiry into the provision of services for people with mental illness under the transition to the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) and address the terms of reference which state: The Committee inquire into, and report on the provision of services for people with mental illness under the transition to the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) with particular reference to: 1. The gap between the Federal Government’s predicted and realised percentages of mental health clients receiving NDIS support; 2. The reduction in funding to the Personal Helpers and Mentors program and Mental Health Respite Carer Support program and the impact this will have on people with mental illness; 3. The ongoing requirements for block funded mental health services provided by the State Government after the NDIS transition; 4. The effects on South Australians with mental health issues who are deemed ineligible to receive NDIS funding; 5. The sufficiency of services provided to people with mental illness who are accepted into the NDIS; 6. The effects on South Australians with mental health issues undertaking the application process for the NDIS; 7. Any other relevant matters. This submission draws on research conducted in an Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute (AHURI) longitudinal study entitled: Housing and Indigenous people living with a disability: lived experiences of housing and community infrastructure (attached as appendices 1 & 2), and other work by the authors.