After consulting with NDS, Minister Reynolds today announced enhanced supports for Victorian providers and participants, and that $150 per participant would be available to providers nationally to cover costs associated with assisting SIL participants to access off-site vaccination locations.

In addition to state-based vaccination centres, a dedicated Commonwealth disability vaccination hub has also been opened in Thomastown Victoria.

The specific measures quoted from the Minister’s announcement are:

• Working with the sector to support appropriate worker mobility arrangements for disability residential services providers, where worker restrictions are required to ensure the safety of workers and NDIS participants.
• A new national support payment of $150 per participant for disability providers to assist NDIS supported independent living participants eligible within Phase 1a to attend offsite locations, including Commonwealth hubs, state clinics and GPs.
• The National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) will reinstate measures to enable NDIS providers in Victoria to directly claim the cost of PPE for workers.
• The NDIA is offering COVID-19 related supports including deep cleaning services, assistive technology and a clinical first response service for supported independent living providers should COVID-19 be detected.

NDS will advise members about how the listed supports can be claimed when those details are released by the Agency.