Statewide Complex Communication Needs Project
Project Update – 20 March 2009
The Statewide Complex Communication Needs (SCCN) Project i
s now closed.
The SCCN Project office is closed as of 27 February 2009.The project has been hugely successful and although our time was short, the project team have done as much as possible to address the significant and diverse needs that exist in services for people with complex communication needs (CCN) in South Australia. We are aware however that a need continues to exist and apologise to those who were not able to receive full support from the project.
Please find below information about:
• services available for future referrals for adults and children),
• project resources that will continue to be available for loan,
• website resource list,
• suggested options for staying in touch and keeping up to date in the field of CCN and Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC).
We hope this is of benefit to you.
Client referrals for communication devices:
Adults:
All requests for communication equipment for adults (aged 18-65 years) will be processed through the Disability Services ASSIST program. The Disability Services ASSIST program is the agency that provides access to communication device funding for people aged between 18 and 65 years. For people over 65 years of age, please contact the Domiciliary Equipment Service in your area to discuss options for communication support. To access communication support through ASSIST, clients must be eligible for Disability SA services and contact their Service Coordinator at Disability Services to request support or a review of their communication.
Children:
All requests for communication equipment for children (0-17 years) will be processed through Novita Children’s Services. Novita clients should contact their statewide service area team to discuss their communication needs, while non-Novita clients can be referred to Novita Children’s Services – Equipment Services, to be managed as an “Equipment Only” client referral. This means that the final prescription of the communication equipment will be managed by Equipment Services.
This service provides access to South Australian State Government funding of communication devices for children within South Australia who are eligible for Government funded equipment. Please note that the service is not a continuation of the Statewide Complex Communication Needs (SCCN) Project. The Novita “Equipment Only Service” provides a limited amount of consultation for the assessment and prescription of a communication device, in addition to processing funding applications. Funding is also dependent on the availability of the appropriate level of training and support after the equipment provision has been completed.
Also important to note is that referrals to this service are prioritised for funding in conjunction with a range of other equipment items for children (including wheelchairs, Activities of Daily Living equipment etc). Once a referral has been made to Novita’s Equipment Service, it will be prioritised based on a range of factors (including wait time) and placed on the waiting list.
To refer to this service, please contact Novita Central Intake team on 8349 2010. You will need to confirm with the Central Intake Team that you need a referral to the Equipment Service. If you are already a Novita client (or Novita Equipment Only client), please contact Sue Bostock, the Team Leader of the Novita Equipment Service, on 8348 2044, or email to susan.bostock@novita.org.au
Resources for loan:
Visit the resources page to view a document listing resources that have been purchased or created throughout the SCCN Project, and which are now available for loan to Speech Pathologists and Occupational Therapists within South Australia. The loans are limited to Speech Pathologists and Occupational Therapists due to both the clinical nature of most of the resources, and the source of project funding. If you are interested in these resources but not a Speech Pathologist, please discuss options with your therapist. If there is no therapist available, contact the Novita Toy and Resource Centre to discuss as some may be loaned under a special arrangement. Access these loans by phoning (08) 8243 8316.
AAC Website Resources List:
View the resources page to view a document listing website reources that has been compiled over the past twelve. Many thanks, to the people who suggested some of these sites for the list.
Staying in touch – updates and networks:
The SCCN Mailing List will no longer be in operation from today’s date. Due to confidentiality reasons we will not be passing any contact details on to other groups but if you would like to continue receiving information in this area, we would like to suggest the following options:
Join AGOSCI:
Become a member – AGOSCI is a group representing people with complex communication needs, as well as those who live, know or work with people with CCN. Join at www.agosci.org.au
Sign up to the listserve – The AGOSCI list is a forum for people with CCN, family members, carers, therapists and teachers. Anyone who is interested in AGOSCI can join. There are members from all over Australia and wordwide. Sign up via the AGOSCI website at www.agosci.org.au
Put your name on the AGOSCI South Australia contact list – This is an e-mail list kept by the South Australian AGOSCI representative. This list includes both members and non-members of AGOSCI. Information shared to the mailing list includes National and State-based event information, as well as other relevant updates. Sign up to this list by contacting amy.martin@novita.org.au
Attend the AAC Special Interest groups:
These groups will continue to run as they have during the SCCN Project and will be coordinated by the AGOSCI State Representative, Amy Martin. To receive information about these meetings, sign up to the AGOSCI South Australia contact list as noted above.
Attend AGOSCI conference and National Tour – Refer to the AGOSCI website at www.agosci.org.au for details of both upcoming and future events.
Join the International Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication (ISAAC) Australia:
Become a member – ISAAC works to improve the life of every child and adult with speech difficulties. ISAAC members want everyone in the world to know about AAC. To join, contact Catherine Olsson (President), ISAAC Australia, via email at catherine.olsson@novita.org.au
NovitaTech updates:
NovitaTech provide updates on a broad range of topics ranging from events to the latest developments in equipment. To register and select the updates of interest to you, please visit www.novitatech.org.au and select “Register” at the top right hand corner of the page.
The Augmentative Communication On-Line User's Group (ACOLUG):
ACOLUG is an Internet Listserv which allows users of augmentative communication and their families to communicate with each other and with professionals who are interested in augmentative communication. ACOLUG enables people who are separated by great geographic distances to "meet" and communicate with each other in a way that is convenient, comfortable and free. ACOLUG has a diverse membership of more than 300 people representing 50 states and 15 countries. The membership is primarily users of augmentative communication ranging in age from 7 years old to mature adults. Family members also play a key role on ACOLUG. Sign up at www.temple.edu/instituteondisabilities/acolug/
If you have any additional queries about communication support, please contact either Disability Services or Novita Children’s Services. Enquires specifically about the SCCNProject can be directed to NovitaTech at 1300 85 55 85.
Thank you again for your valuable support throughout the project,
Janelle Sampson
PROJECT MANAGER
STATEWIDE COMPLEX COMMUNICATION NEEDS PROJECT
This page last updated: 20 March 2009
For further information please contact us
URL for this page: http://www.novitatech.org.au/content.asp?p=605
