Schedule 2 Authorised Disability Services

The Transport Accident Commission pursuant to section 23 of the Transport Accident Act 1986 hereby authorises the services described in this Schedule to be disability services for the purposes of the Act.

Definitions

In this schedule:

"disability" in respect of a person, means a disability that is:

  • attributable to an intellectual, psychiatric, sensory, physical or neurological impairment or acquired brain injury or any combination of those impairments caused by injuries received in a transport accident; and
  • which is permanent or likely to be permanent, and which:
    • causes a substantially reduced capacity of the person for communication, learning or mobility in at least one of the areas of self-care or self-management; and
    • requires significant ongoing or long-term episodic support; and
    • is not related to ageing; or
    • a pre-existing intellectual disability; or
    • a pre-existing developmental delay; or
    • a pre-existing psychiatric illness/condition.

Disability services are those services defined in section 3 and authorised under section 23 of the Transport Accident Act 1986.

Registered means a person whose professional discipline is registered by a Board listed below.

Qualified means a person whose professional discipline has formal qualifications.

Accredited means a peer based accreditation requirement, for that professional discipline.

Recognised means an agency or person whose discipline has no formal qualifications and/or accreditation procedures but which satisfies the criteria set out below.

Authorised means authorisation by the TAC in accordance with section 23 of the Transport Accident Act 1986.

Disability services

The services listed below may be provided to a client as a disability service or as part of a structured program of disability services.

Note, each service must be approved in advance of its provision, by a TAC Officer.

For details of service provider eligibility criteria for each service type, refer to the services listed below.

Listed Disability Services:

a. Accommodation Support

A TAC client who resides in supported accommodation may be required to make a contribution to their Daily Living Expenses (DLE) (s60(7)). The Governor in Council may, by Order published in the Government Gazette, fix limits in respect of contributions to be made by a person towards the cost of supported accommodation s60(11A). The TAC may be liable to pay as compensation under s60(2)(a) the reasonable cost of accommodation support for the difference between the fixed limit and the amount charged by the Provider as a disability service.

Providers of Shared Supported Accommodation must meet and maintain the TAC’s disability service provider registration requirements in order to deliver services to a client with a disability.

See also the TAC Supported accommodation policy.

b. Attendant care services

Attendant care is a support service provided to a client at home or in a community setting. Attendant care services can be provided for clients who require assistance due to physical, sensory and/or cognitive disability arising from their transport accident where the intervention is the most age appropriate and least restrictive response to the client's needs.

The TAC has the expectation that attendant care services are delivered to a client with a disability in order to enable that client to achieve maximum personal independence and maintain functional skills and capabilities within the community.

Providers of Attendant Care must meet and maintain the TAC’s disability service provider registration requirements in order to deliver services to a client with a disability.

Attendant care services can be provided in the following forms:

  • Daytime support, which is a service for clients who require active provision of attendant care that is classified as either:
    • Personal care, which is physical assistance with daily living tasks as directed by the recommending occupational therapist/other allied health professional and includes the provision of domestic services by the attendant care support worker in down time between provision of personal care.
    • Therapy support, which assists the client to actively participate in goal directed home or community based rehabilitation activities where the support is necessary to achieve specific goals and outcomes. Therapy support is documented in the client's Support Plan and revised as required by a treating health professional.
    • Community access, which is to assist and support the client to undertake community activities as directed by the recommending occupational therapist.
  • Overnight support which is a service for clients who require attendant care for a period of 8 consecutive hours covering the usual sleeping period of the client in their home or an approved location. It comprises either:
    • Active overnight support - an overnight attendant care shift where an attendant care support worker is required to provide active assistance or support to a client.
    • Inactive overnight support - an overnight shift when an attendant care support worker is present, but not required to actively assist or support a client. The inactive overnight support fee includes one hour of active support (not necessarily provided consecutively) for the support worker to undertake manual tasks associated with the client's care such as assisting with toileting/continence issues, managing physical issues such as spasms and pain and turning and repositioning clients.

All attendant care providers must familiarise themselves with and adhere to the TAC Attendant Care policy and Provider Guidelines.

c. Community Group Programs

A Community Group Program is an individually tailored program of supported group activities for TAC clients which:

  • is provided to the client within community based facilities at community based locations, e.g. a cooking program at a community leisure centre
  • is specifically designed for clients who require shared support to engage in leisure or recreational activities outside the home
  • are flexible and responsive to a client's support needs, goals and interests
  • supports the development of community living, social skills and peer support networks
  • facilitate a client's transition to mainstream community based leisure and recreation activities
  • provide support to persons with a disability in a matter that respects their privacy and dignity
  • enhance a client's quality of life.

The TAC expects community group programs to be delivered to a client with a disability to enable that client to achieve maximum participation in community based recreational and leisure activities.

Providers of Community Group Programs must meet and maintain the TAC’s disability service provider registration requirements in order to deliver services to a client with a disability.

See also the TAC Community group programs policy.

d. Dog kennelling

The TAC authorises the reasonable cost of dog kennelling for no more than two domestic dogs for a client who must stay in alternative temporary accommodation because of injuries sustained in a transport accident and when:

  • all current alternatives for housing the dog have been exhausted, for example re-housing of the dog with friends, family, neighbours
  • the dog can not stay at the client's home and be cared for by a third party
  • the dog boarding kennel complies with Agriculture Victoria's Code of Practice for the Operation of Boarding Establishments (the Code)
  • kennelling will be required on a temporary basis only until alternative arrangements can be made, and
  • the boarding kennel is located as close as possible to the client's temporary accommodation.

The TAC will not pay for the following services that may be provided at the kennel:

  • Dog food
  • Grooming such as clipping, stripping coat, cutting nails and bathing
  • Pet taxi – Transport
  • Dog toys & accessories
  • Collars & leads
  • Dog training
  • Additional exercise such as dog walking & playtime for pets
  • Dog breeding
  • Dog medication or vaccinations
  • Veterinary costs for the dog
  • Day care for dogs

In accordance with section 23(1)(a) the TAC authorises dog kennelling to be an authorised disability service.

See also the TAC Dog Kennelling policy.

e. Guide dogs and assistance dog providers

Guide dogs or seeing eye dogs are specially trained dogs that enable blind or vision impaired people to avoid obstacles/hazards and increase their independence and confidence in mobilising and accessing the community.

Assistance dogs are specially trained dogs that enable people with a disability to perform specific tasks that they would not ordinarily be able to perform because of their physical impairment.

The provision of guide dogs and assistance dogs consists of:

  • an assessment of the client's suitability for a guide dog or assistance dog
  • the provision of the guide dog or an assistance dog for clients assessed to be suitable
  • costs associated with training an eligible TAC client to command a guide dog or assistance dog
  • ongoing veterinary costs involved in maintaining the health of an active guide dog or assistance dog.

Veterinary equipment, including worming and dental health products, will only be funded if requested by a veterinary clinic.

The TAC authorises the following providers for guide dogs and assistance dogs:

The TAC authorises the provision of guide dogs and assistance dogs to be an authorised disability service.

See also the TAC Guide Dogs and Assistance Dogs policy.

f. Household Help

The TAC authorises household help to be an authorised disability service in accordance with section 23(1)(a) of the Transport Accident Act 1986 where:

  • all entitlements to home services under s 60(2)(d) of the Transport Accident Act 1986 have expired
  • household help refers to help with domestic or household tasks in or outside the eligible client's primary residence, for example vacuuming, mopping and gardening
  • a transport accident injury prevents them from performing household tasks independently or with the assistance of adaptive equipment.

See also the Support at home policy.

g. Intensive Outreach services

The Intensive Outreach Service is a time limited, intensive model of care, based on delivering assertive outreach within a recovery and positive behaviour support framework. Support is holistic and tailored to the client's presentation. Persistent, creative and informal approaches are employed to engage and to develop a relationship with clients who are unable to comply with more formal methods of service delivery. During the period of intervention client learnings will be documented leading to the development of a best practice model of care which will remain with the client once the intervention concludes.

The TAC can authorise non-government organisations to provide Intensive Outreach services as an authorised disability service under section 23 of the Transport Accident Act 1986 where the organisation has:

  • a party to a service agreement with the Victorian Department of Health and/or the Victorian Department of Human Services to deliver Psychiatric Disability Rehabilitation and Support Services, and
  • registered with the TAC to provide Intensive Outreach services to clients.

The TAC authorises Intensive Outreach services to be an authorised disability service.

h. Multiple Needs and Complex Model (MACNM) services

Multiple and Complex Needs Model services authorised by the TAC include:

  • Assessment
  • Service/ Client Care Plan Development, and
  • Care Plan Coordination

The MACNM service is a time-limited specialist service for individuals 16 years and older identified as having multiple and complex needs, often including those individuals that pose a risk to themselves and to the community.

The MACNM service is a model of care for significantly complex TAC clients who have exhausted all other suitable service options and present with:

  • Multiple and complex needs which consistently challenge the response of the existing service system
  • Co morbidity and/or dual diagnosis.
  • Poor service outcomes.
  • Behaviours of concern which lead to repeated service failure.
  • Behaviours of concern which pose a risk to self and/or others.

MACNM services can only be provided by those service providers registered with the TAC to deliver MACNM as well as registered to deliver the state-wide Department of Families, Fairness and Housing (DFFH) Multiple and Complex Needs Initiative.

See also the Multiple Needs and Complex Model (MACNM) services policy.

i. Private Rental Brokerage

Private Rental Brokerage services is a service provided by a Private Rental Broker who specialises in assisting and supporting clients who have complex needs, but have the capacity to rent in the private sector, to locate and secure private rental accommodation.

The role of the Private Rental Broker is to:

  • locate and secure appropriate rental accommodation for TAC clients
  • assist TAC clients or their guardian(s) to complete the relevant paper work.

The TAC can authorise organisations to provide Private Rental Brokerage services as an authorised disability service under sections 3(1) and 23 of the Transport Accident Act 1986 where the organisation has:

  • met specific selection criteria
  • signed a contract with the TAC to provide Private Rental Brokerage services
  • public liability insurance (minimum of $10,000,000)
  • agreed to comply with the Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities Act 2006 (Vic)
  • agreed to comply with the TAC privacy guidelines and secrecy provisions.

The TAC authorises the provision of Private Rental Brokerage services to be an authorised disability service.

j. Respite services

Respite services is a client service intended to provide limited breaks for a client from their regular support routine and maintain the continuation of the primary informal support relationship between a client, the client's family and carer.

Respite services can be provided to clients who are eligible to receive disability services and who are in receipt of a significant level of care and support from a carer or family member residing within the same household.

The registration requirements and service standards of respite services depend on the services being delivered.

Respite services may be taken in the form of:

  • supported accommodation - in a supported accommodation facility or hospital.
  • community group programs - participation in a school holiday program, or day program.
  • in home respite - one to one attendant care support in a client's home.

Providers of respite services must meet and maintain the TAC’s disability service provider registration requirements in order to deliver services to a client with a disability.

The TAC authorises respite services to be an authorised disability service.

k. Support navigation services

Support Navigation services assist clients with disability to coordinate and navigate service systems to achieve transport accident-related injury goals. These services include:

Case Management
A time-limited service that assists clients with disability to engage and coordinate their supports or navigate service systems to achieve their transport accident-related recovery goals.

Case Management services support clients to:

  • plan and coordinate their supports and services
  • connect and maintain connection with supports and services
  • navigate government and non-government systems
  • prepare for events or crises which may impact service access and/or achievement of transport accident-related injury goals

Case Managers must be qualified and experienced in delivering Case Management. Minimum qualifications are required to be at a diploma level and can include social work, community service work, disability work, allied health or nursing.

Providers of Case Management must meet and maintain the TAC’s disability service provider registration requirements in order to deliver services to a client with a disability.

Community Access Planning
Community Access Planning services support clients with disability to build their independence and develop support networks by connecting them with meaningful community engagement and recreation opportunities. Community Access Planning is often delivered by recreational specialists.

Community Access Planning supports may include:

  • identifying client recreation goals and interests
  • assessing client support needs to enable participation in community-based recreation activities
  • linking clients into mainstream recreation activities or supported community access services such as Community Group Programs
  • monitoring client participation in community activities to ensure program suitability
  • planning and coordinating logistics, supports and costs for holidays alongside clients and their support networks.

Providers of Community Access Planning must have:

  • a minimum Certificate IV in either Disability or Recreation Studies
  • at least three years of relevant experience in working with people with disability
  • appropriate police and working with children clearance checks where required.

Providers of Community Access Planning must meet and maintain the TAC’s disability service provider registration requirements in order to deliver services to a client with a disability.

See also the Support Navigation policy.

l. Supported employment services

Section 3(1) of the Transport Accident Act 1986 states "supported employment program" means a program designed to promote and enhance the independence of a person with a severe injury by assisting the person's return to paid employment where the person needs ongoing support to obtain, or to perform and retain, that employment.

A supported employment program is a specialised supported employment program that complies with the provisions and practice standards of the National Disability Insurance Scheme.

Providers of Supported Employment must meet and maintain the TAC’s disability service provider registration requirements in order to deliver services to a client with a disability.

The TAC authorises specialised supported employment services to be an authorised disability service.

See also the 'Supported Employment Program' section of the 'Loss of Earnings Capacity benefits policy'.

See also the:

Was this page helpful?

Save time and manage your claim online with myTAC

Find out more about myTAC