DISABILITY SA

In reply to the Hon. J.A. DARLEY (17 July 2009).

The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for State/Local Government Relations, Minister for the Status of Women, Minister for Consumer Affairs, Minister for Government Enterprises, Minister Assisting the Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Energy): The Minister for Families and Communities has provided the following information:

Disability SA has 24 full-time equivalent (FTE) Psychologist positions, which are filled by 27 practising psychologists covering children's and adult services.

They provide specialist, disability-specific assessment and intervention for clients, ranging from undertaking assessment of intellectual functioning for determining service eligibility, to intensive in-home positive behaviour support programs for clients with challenging behaviours.

There has been no reduction in the number of Psychologist positions in Disability SA during or since the reform of disability services that occurred during 2006-07. Disability SA psychologists work on a prioritised, as-needs basis with any client needing psychology support and therefore, individual caseloads vary according to the type of work and the intensity and complexity of involvement.

All positions are filled or about to be filled, except for a 0.2 FTE vacancy where one psychologist had reduced their hours temporarily under the Department for Families and Communities' Flexible Workplace Policy.

Given that Disability SA has 24 FTE Psychologist positions, the basis of the question is incorrect.

In addition to the services provided by Disability SA psychologists, people with disabilities are entitled to use the services that are available to the wider community, including the services of psychologists. Alternative access to psychologists is available through South Australian Mental Health Services, as well as Medicare's 'Better Access to Mental Health Care' initiative and the 'Better Outcomes in Mental Health' program, both of which can be accessed through general practitioners.