Committee membership Ms Maree Edwards MP Chair Bendigo West Ms Cindy McLeish MP Deputy Chair Eildon Ms Chris Couzens MP Geelong Mr Paul Edbrooke MP Frankston Mr Bernie Finn MLC Western Metropolitan Ms Emma Kealy MP Lowan Ms Suzanna Sheed MP Shepparton
Allegations of physical or sexual assault Responding to allegations of physical or sexual assault (DHHS instruction issued in 2005 and updated in 2014) Provides a more detailed outline of the reporting and management requirements for allegations of physical or sexual assault that involves a client for all services directly delivered or funded by the Department. This includes reporting to police, initiating disciplinary procedures and reporting to the Department through its critical incident management process. Critical client incidents Critical client incident management instruction (issued in 2011 and updated in 2014) Describes the requirements for funded service providers to submit client incident reports to DHHS for all critical incidents that occur at the service or during service delivery which involve and/or impact upon clients. Critical client incidents Critical client incident management summary guide and categorisation table: 2011 Flip chart based on Critical client incident management instruction 2011. Physical and sexual assault DHHS residential services practice manual, 3rd edition Outlines roles and responsibilities for responding to physical and sexual assault in residential services managed by DHHS. Not specified Managing Performance and Conduct in Disability Services Policy Focuses on disciplinary investigations. Not specified Promoting Better Outcomes Systemic Improvement Policy: Managing and reviewing adverse events Aims to assist in the effective management of all adverse events and promote a learning culture and continuous improvement in disability service delivery. Source: Compiled by the Family and Community Development Committee from DHHS publications and supplementary evidence (Response to request for information, Department of Health and Human Services, 23 July 2015). Disability Services Commissioner and critical incidents As noted in the Interim Report, the Disability Services Commissioner (DSC) is primarily responsible for receiving and managing complaints regarding service quality. In addition, the DSC has a limited role in reviewing and providing advice to the Department on critical incidents involving stafftoclient abuse. However, this role does not extend to conducting investigations into specific incidents of stafftoclient abuse. The Committee understands that there is significant confusion within the disability sector about the role of the DSC and its obligations in relation to investigating abuse. The Committee is also aware that the DSC has recently undertaken investigations into ‘complaints’ that it has received that relate more to possible abuse and neglect, than service quality. While this is an encouraging step – and affirms the DSC’s willingness to go beyond a conciliatory approach to resolving issues – this move contributes further to the confusion surrounding the role of the organisation. A number of witnesses have suggested that the Department’s oversight of critical
Victorian Advocacy League for Individuals with Disability (VALID) Mr David Craig Project Coordinator National Disability Services Ms Sarah Fordyce Acting State Manager, Victoria Mr James Bannister National Senior Sector Development Officer Disability Services Commissioner Mr Laurie Harkin, AM Commissioner Ms Miranda Bruyniks Deputy Commissioner 29 June 2015, Melbourne Organisation Name Position Community Visitors Mr David Roche Community Visitor Ms Fay Richards Community Visitor Ms Rosemary Shaw Community Visitor Ms Colleen Pearce Public Advocate and Chairperson of the Combined Board Department of Health and Human Services Mr Arthur Rogers Deputy Secretary, Social Housing and NDIS Reform Ms Janine Toomey Director, Service Outcomes, Service Design and Operations Division Victorian Ombudsman Ms Deborah Glass, OBE Ombudsman Mr Glenn Sullivan Principal Investigator Ms Jenny Hardy Director, Investigations 28 September 2015, Melbourne Organisation Name Position JacksonRyan Partners Ms Margaret Ryan Partner Mr Max Jackson Partner Action for More Independence and Dignity in Accommodation (AMIDA) Ms Pauline Williams Housing Rights Coordinator Lifestyle in Supported Accommodation Inc (LISA) Mr Tony Tregale Mrs Heather Tregale Communication Rights Australia Ms Jan Ashford Chief Executive Officer Ms Jai Phillips
Disability Advocacy Victoria Ms Julie Phillips Individual Ms Carmen Harris Individual Ms Sandra Guy Parent 13 October 2015, Geelong Organisation Name Position National Disability Insurance Agency Ms Louise Glanville Deputy Chief Executive Officer Ms Stephanie Gunn Branch Manager Local Area Coordination Individual Ms Wendy Jones Parent St Laurence Mr Toby O’Connor Chief Executive Officer Ms Sharen Waugh Manager, Quality, Risk and Compliance 19 October 2015, Melbourne Organisation Name Position Health and Community Services Union Mr Lloyd Williams State Secretary and President, HSU National Ms Jodi Portelli HACSU member Ms Andrea Passadore HACSU member Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission Ms Catherine Dixon Director – Commissioner’s Office Ms Gudrun Dewey Senior Advisor Human Rights Ms Kate Lahiff Senior Advisor, Strategic Projects and Policy Unit Yooralla Dr Sherene Devanesen Chief Executive Officer Adjunct Professor Jeffrey Chan Chief Practitioner Life Without Barriers Ms Teresa McClelland Operations Manager Ms Angela Connors Director of South East Australia Youth Disability Advocacy Service (YDAS) Dr George Taleporos Manager Ms Sarah Forbes Human Rights and Advocacy Officer Individual Ms Kerrie Lecluse Parent Mr Max Jackson Advocate Women with Disabilities Victoria Ms Keran Howe Executive Director Ms Jen Hargrave Policy Officer
29 October 2015, Shepparton Organisation Name Position Shepparton Access Ms Wendy Sharks Chief Executive Officer Individual Ms Nicole O’Brien Disability support worker Carers and Parents Support Group of Benalla Ms Tricia Schipp Member 5 November 2015, Bendigo Organisation Name Position Radius Ms Cath McDonald Chief Executive Officer Individual Mr Mark Modra Parent Quality Living Options Dr Noela Foreman President Rights Information and Advocacy Centre Ms Sharyn Laugher Advocate 6 November 2015, Ballarat Organisation Name Position Karden Disability Support Foundation Ms Karen Robinson Chief Executive Officer Individual Ms Michele Armstrong Parent Mr Stephen Armstrong Parent Grampians disAbility Advocacy (Ballarat) Ms Fiona Tipping 17 November 2015, Morwell Organisation Name Position Cooinda Hill Ms Christine Trotman Chief Executive Officer Gippsland Carers Association Inc. Mrs Jean Tops President Ms Lorraine Beasley Secretary Mrs Anita GeachBennell Vice President
Ms Jayne Gallo General Manager Client Services ONCALL Personnel and Training Ms Robyn Pollard Chief Executive Officer Ms Susan Rundle Executive Manager, People and Culture Department of Health and Human Services Mr Arthur Rogers Deputy Secretary, NDIS Reform and Director of Housing Ms Janine Toomey Director, Service Outcomes, Service Design and Operations Division