See also Disability Screening, Assessment and Diagnosis
Disability Support Pension
As permanent residents of Australia, people who arrived in Australia as refugees are eligible to receive the Disability Support Pension, and are also exempt from the 10-year waiting period that applies to other newly arrived residents. Centrelink has Multicultural Liaison Officers who can assist with completing forms (multilingual service phone 13 12 02). People who are seeking asylum in Australia are ineligible to receive this payment.
Carer Allowance
Permanent residents, including refugee and humanitarian entrants, are eligible for the Carer Allowance if they meet the usual criteria. Centrelink has Multicultural Liaison Officers who can assist with completing forms (multilingual service phone 13 12 02). People who are asylum seekers are not eligible for the Carer Allowance.
NDIS
The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is a new way of providing support to people with a disability. To access services under the NDIS you must be an Australian citizen or permanent resident, so people who are seeking asylum in Australia are not eligible to receive services under the NDIS. As permanent residents of Australia, people who arrived in Australia as refugees are eligible for the NDIS.
Access to Language Support under NDIS
TIS National has partnered with the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) to provide interpreting services for NDIS participants from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. This service will support participants when connecting with registered service providers for funded supports in a participants plan. An NDIS Local Area Coordinator, NDIA Planner or Support Coordinator will support participants who require assistance accessing interpreting services through TIS National.
A participant does not need to have interpreting supports listed as a funded support in their plan to access non-disability related interpreting services.
TIS National requires the NDIA registered service provider who is delivering the funded support to register for a TIS National client code and book an interpreter on behalf of the NDIS participant. Further information.
NDIS in Victoria
The NDIS is now fully rolled out in Victoria. For information about the NDIS in different Victorian regions, visit the NDIS website.
Diversitat’s Disability Findings Report highlights barriers that culturally and linguistically diverse people face when accessing the NDIS and broader disability system in the Barwon region.
Disability Employment Services
As permanent residents of Australia, people who arrived in Australia as refugees are eligible to receive a range of Disability Employment Services.
Eligible Temporary Protection Visa holders in receipt of Special Benefit can access the Disability Employment Services-Employment Support Service (DES-ESS) programme, which is for people with a permanent disability and with an assessed need for longer term, regular, ongoing support in the workplace.
DHHS Disability Services
The Victorian Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) provides financial assistance, accommodation options, and other supports and services for people with a disability. A person must be a permanent resident of Australia to be eligible for state-funded disability services.
ADEC
Action on Disability in Ethnic Communities (ADEC) is a state-wide service for people with disabilities and their carers who are from ethnic backgrounds. Their services include Access and Support, Advocacy, Education, Group Activities, Respite Program, and Transcultural Mental Health. A person must have a valid Medicare card (green or blue) to be eligible for ADEC services.
Migrant Resource Centres – Metropolitan Victoria and Regional Victoria
Migrant Resource Centres provide disability services to members of migrant and refugee background communities. A person must be a permanent resident of Australia to be eligible for Migrant Resource Centre services in Victoria.
Other Resources
- The Health Translations Directory has translated information about disability services in several relevance community languages.
- National Ethnic Disability Alliance (NEDA) is the national peak organisation for people from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) and non-English speaking backgrounds (NESB) who have a disability. NEDA conducts systemic advocacy, offers policy advice to government, and publishes research and reports on the needs of CALD and NESB people with disabilities.
- The Better Start for Children with Disability initiative provides funding for early intervention services. Their information brochure is available in a range of languages.
- The National Disability Abuse and Neglect Hotline is an Australia-wide telephone hotline for reporting abuse and neglect of people with disabilities using government funded services.
- The Complaints Resolution and Referral Service assists to resolve complaints about disability employment and advocacy services that are funded under the Commonwealth Disability Services Act.
