8/6/03
Pilbara Homecare will soon have its own wheelchair-accessible vehicle.
Disability Services Minister Sheila McHale, who is visiting the Pilbara region, today presented Pilbara Homecare with a cheque for more than $34,000 for the purchase of the vehicle.
Ms McHale said Pilbara Homecare offered a much-needed, holistic home support service for people with disabilities, older people and others who required additional assistance to live independently within their local community.
"Through its five offices across the region, Pilbara Homecare provides services tailored to meet the needs of individual clients and can include anything from domestic assistance to respite care, holiday accommodation and home nursing," the Minister said.
"This vital and responsive service is helping individuals and families receive the support and services they require within this dynamic and diverse region of Western Australia.
"The Disability Services Commission provides Pilbara Homecare with funding for individual and family support, alternatives to employment, post-school options and respite services for people with disabilities, most of whom are indigenous.
"A raft of new initiatives is under way to reach the people who require services, including the appointment of a new indigenous senior policy officer."
Ms McHale said the State Government's 2003-2004 Budget included a $210.5million allocation for disability services, recognising the needs of people with disabilities in regional WA.
Twenty-seven per cent of the growth funding in the Budget will be allocated to support people with disabilities and their families living in rural and regional WA.
"This translates to accommodation support to an estimated additional 22 country families, respite and family support for some 52 families, and alternatives to employment for 34 people with disabilities," the Minister said.
"Additional funding will be allocated to increase and improve local area co-ordination support, therapy and other specialist services in country areas.
"Agencies like Pilbara Homecare are central to our long-term strategies to support people with disabilities and their families in rural areas."
Ms McHale also presented Pilbara Homecare with a copy of the publication 'Aid to Survival - A Survival Guide for Travel in Remote Parts of Western Australia', a practical survival guide developed by the Disability Services Commission for staff who live and work in remote areas.
It deals with a range of factors essential for safe bush travel from preparation and planning for a trip to direction-finding, bush first aid and finding food and water.
The Minister said Disability Services Commission staff frequently travelled in remote areas of WA to visit people with disabilities.
"The hope is that staff never find themselves in a position where they need to use the guide, but we have a duty of care to do all we can to ensure the safety of staff whose work takes them to remote areas," she said.
Ms McHale said the guide had been developed from a similar publication originally produced by the WA Police Service.
Minister's office: 9213 6900
