KIFSA Services

The Kimberley Individual and Family Support Association (KIFSA) is a contracted service provider for the Disability Services Commission (DSC). KIFSA provides services to people with disabilities and their families across the Kimberley.

Aside from recurrent programs, KIFSA also works with DSC in running Pilot Programs. These range from Extending Respite Capacity and Alternatives to Employment Pilot Programs, both of which were run in Fitzroy Crossing from 2008 to 2010.

Our recurrent programs include:

Brokered Respite

This funding is provided under the Community Support Program at the Disability Services Commission. Family support provides supports to carers in their caring role and allows them to have a break from the caring role. It is provided through a wide range of activities/services/supports offered to and engaged in by people with disabilities and their families. Respite should also provide a positive experience for the person with a disability. Supports may be formal or informal, and may be provided in the home or out of the home. The source of primary care remains with the family.

A Respite Brokerage service provides funds directly to families/carers that care for a person with a disability to purchase respite, community access services, and supports.

A comprehensive family support/respite service providing a range of flexible respite options and supports to families and/or carers/ageing carers caring for a person with a disability.

Support services to families caring for a person(s) with a disability, who is eligible for level 2 and or 3 Commission services.

Families manage their own support workers with the funding allocated by KIFSA.

Past and current recipients of Respite Brokerage are invited to apply for funding annually. The funding is in Grant form meaning that each funding round is only guaranteed for a 12-month period, deeming KIFSA Respite Brokerage non-recurrent.

Funding is allocated annually and applications are sent out every 12 months.

Holiday Program

Holiday program respite is provided through a range of activities designed around the individual to meet their needs to participate in an established program or pursue an individual activity. The activities are offered for intermittent periods during community or family holidays.

The programs may vary in length from a few hours each day for an identified period of time (eg. a week) to several nights away from the family or home environment of origin. The duty of care responsibilities for the time the individual is participating in the program are undertaken by the program organiser.

Holiday Program Support Funding is a strategy to provide respite for families/carers of people with disabilities. The purpose is to provide opportunities for school-age children and adults with disabilities, living with families, who are eligible for Level 2/3 Commission services to participate in holiday activities.

Programs should include opportunities for adventure, challenge, creativity and enjoyment as well a skills development component. Community access and inclusion should be at the centre of Holiday Program activities.

Intensive Family Support

Intensive Family Support Service providing respite and support opportunities for individuals with a disability who reside with their families or carers.

Funding is received through the Combined Application Process with the Disability Services Commission.

Ageing Carers Respite

As per the Brokered Respite.

Alternatives to Employment Program

Alternatives to Employment Program: To ensure that people with disabilities that are not able to maintain full time employment have access to a range of meaningful options that encourage involvement in everyday community life while providing skills development, enjoyment and satisfaction.

KIFSA works closely with individuals, families and community organisations to design programs that reflect the individual’s interests and needs.

Through these programs, KIFSA supports clients to enter into rewarding activities that deliver skill development, social participation, enjoyment and satisfaction. Emphasis is on achieving the Alternatives to Employment Outcomes and Key Performance Indicators.

Accommodation Support Program

Accommodation Support Funding is a response to the critical need for accommodation support options for individuals with disabilities. It addresses concerns expressed by families for secure ongoing support for their sons or daughters when they can no longer care for them.

This program is designed to:

1. support people with a disability to live in the community in a home environment as close as possible to that enjoyed by other community members; and
2. enable the person with a disability and their family to have a choice of support providers.

The Accommodation Support Program provides funding when a person with a disability lives in accommodation situations such as:

1. Shared care or individual arrangements that aim to enable people with a disability to live in the community in a home environment as close as possible to that enjoyed by other community members;
2. Individualised accommodation options where the person lives in their family’s home and support costs are more than the designated benchmark per annum ($30,000); and
3. Foster care options where the child spends 50% or more time away from their family of origin

Young People In Residential Aged Care (YPIRAC) Alternatives to Employment

On 10 February 2006, COAG agreed to initiate a new five-year program to reduce the numbers of younger people with disability living in nursing homes throughout Australia. Governments implemented the joint Commonwealth, State and Territory program from July 2006.

The three key objectives of the Younger People with Disability in Residential Aged Care (YPIRAC) Program are to:

1. move younger people with disability currently in residential aged care into appropriate supported disability accommodation; where supported disability accommodation can be made available and only if the client chooses to move
2. divert future admissions of younger people with disability who are at risk of admission to residential aged care into more appropriate forms of accommodation; and
3. enhance the delivery of specialist disability services to those younger people with disability who choose to remain in residential aged care, and if residential aged care remains the only available suitable supported accommodation option.Participation in the YPIRAC program is voluntary. The initial priority of the program will be for people under 50 years of age.

Young People In Residential Aged Care (YPIRAC) Accommodation Support

As above, this is for people with a disability who have been identified as being eligible to move from the residential aged care setting into their own accommodation option.

SERVICE STANDARDS

KIFSA services are underpinned by a philosophy of choice and independence for all people.

We adhere to nine key service standards:

1. Service Access. Each individual seeking support has access to a service on the basis of relative need and available resources.
2. Individual Needs. Each person with a disability receives a service that is designed to meet his or her individual needs and personal goals in the least restrictive way.
3. Decision Making and Choice. Each person with a disability has the opportunity to participate as fully as possible in making decisions about events and activities of his or her daily life, and in relation to the services he or she receives.
4. Privacy, Dignity and Confidentiality. Each individual's right to privacy, dignity and confidentiality in all aspects of his or her life is recognised and respected.
5. Participation and Integration. Each person with a disability is supported and encouraged to participate and be involved in the life of the community.
6. Valued Status. Each person with a disability has the opportunity to develop and maintain skills and to participate in activities that enable him or her to achieve valued roles in the community.
7. Complaints and Disputes. Each individual is free to raise and have resolved any campaigns or disputes he or she may have regarding KIFSA and/or its service.
8. Service Management. KIFSA adopts sound management practices that maximise outcomes for clients.
9. Protection of Human Rights and Freedom from Abuse and Neglect. KIFSA acts to prevent abuse and neglect, and to uphold the legal and human rights of clients.