Hon Nicky Wagner
I want to personally let you know about some of the recent Budget announcements that will help improve the lives of many disabled people and their families and whānau.
Funding for disability support services
This Government is committed to supporting disabled people to have more independence and live better lives in their community.
Health Minister Jonathan Coleman and I announced an investment of $205.4 million over four years to maintain and improve disability support services. $178.2 million of this will go to community-based home support, personal care, caregiver support and residential care, as well as equipment services. Another $27.1 million will be invested over three years to support the transformation of the disability support system, based on the Enabling Good Lives principles and vision. The transformation will initially focus on those receiving support from Disability Support Services in the Mid-Central region.
Co-design group working on the disability support system transformation.
Extra help for children with additional learning needs
We know that supporting children to get the best possible start in life has a huge impact on their lives later on, particularly for disabled children.
Education Minister Nikki Kaye announced $63.3 million of operating funding over the next four years to support students with additional learning needs. This includes $15.5 million to extend the provision of teacher aide support to an extra 625 students per year.
Another $34.7 million of new funding will provide specialist behaviour services for an extra 1000 children, and $6 million will be invested to support young children with difficulties talking and listening.
Further support for parents and teachers of children with autism is also being provided as part of the Budget 2017 Social Investment Package, with a $4.2 million investment to extend the Incredible Years Programme to parents and teachers of autistic children aged two to five.
Boost for health services, including mental health
Minister Coleman has announced that the total health budget will increase by $3.9 billion over four years to a record $16.77 billion. This includes $1.54 billion to increases wages for our fantastic care and disability support workers as part of the pay equity settlement.
Mental health and addiction services also received a funding boost. Across government there will be an additional $224 million in funding for mental health and addiction services over the next four years. $100 million of this will go to a social investment fund targeting innovative new proposals for tackling mental health issues. Another $100 million will support DHBs to provide local mental and health and addiction services as part of their new total budget.
You can find out more about Budget 2017 at beehive.govt.nz/budget/2017/.
All the best,
Hon Nicky Wagner
Minister for Disability Issues