Purchase an Outcome Not an Outfit

Thanks to John for his latest post on individualised funding... you can find his blog here: http://www.johnmckenna.com.au/ 

People with disabilities and their families are becoming “Smart Shoppers”

When it comes to embracing individualised funding I feel pretty comfortable saying Victorians are leading the way.

Yes it’s new and different and of course there is a degree of nervousness in the air.

The word on the street is, you need to know which door to knock on, and remind them that you are shopping for the best deal.

A message I leave with people who have attended the VALID Individual Support Packages ISP’s workshops is that there are no experts so it’s crucial to talk to many people as possible.

The Department of Human Services Victoria have really ramped up their efforts in training facilitators as these are the folks that we should be turning to for guidance.

Peer support can be a great source of information which I strongly recommend.

On the 24th of Oct. 2011  the Peer-Support-to-Buy-Support group had their first meeting that was well attended.

The hot topic of the night was, direct employment, what’s it like? how much time does it take up? when are they rolling it out?

Direct Employment of carers will be rolling out as an option for those interested in Victoria 2012.

The next Peer-Support-to Buy-Support meeting is scheduled for 6th of December; check out the site for more information.

There are many other interesting initiatives  being planned by a variety of organisations designed to help individuals and families source appropriate supports.

I’m currently in discussions with an iPhone/Android application developer about an easy-to-use tool that will help locate value for money disability supports.

The Find-A-Carer website that I featured earlier (which has recently been revamped) is another great example of online assistance that is currently available.

So as we shop & haggle on price for Christmas gifts, keep in mind, much of the same approach can be used when purchasing supports from a disability service provider.

Take Control Buy That Outcome