https://www.facebook.com/CommunityPsychologyinAotearoa
Issued 2 April 2024
The Institute of Community Psychologists Aotearoa (IComPA) is highly concerned about the mental health and well-being impacts on disabled people, their families, and their communities from the 18 March announcement by Whaikaha - Ministry of Disabled People and the subsequent government response.
Statement in full:
As an Institute of the New Zealand Psychological Society, IComPA is deeply concerned about the wider impacts of the reduction in flexibility and available disability supports for disabled people and their families.
The announced changes on 18 March 2024 to both Purchasing Rules and the Equipment and Modification Services and the subsequent responses in the House at Question Time on 19 March and 28 March, have significant long term negative impacts on the wellbeing of disabled people and their families. The wellbeing of disabled people, their whānau, and caregivers is collectively bound up together. We cannot separate out the wellbeing of parents from their children, and vice versa.
As registered psychologists, we are deeply concerned about the impact that the restriction of flexibility will have on the psychological wellbeing of disabled people and their families. There are already reports of parents feeling suicidal, overwhelmed, and unable to cope.
We call for the immediate restoration of both flexibility and of funding for Equipment and Modification Services for families so that disabled people and their families can purchase adaptive equipment and respite items in a manner that benefits themselves and their families.
As community psychologists we are in full support of the Enabling Good Lives principles. These principles align with community psychology values and principles. We acknowledge all the work over the past two decades by the disability community to implement Enabling Good Lives in practice.
IComPA wish to acknowledge that parents and whānau work hard, go without, and are deeply invested in the wellbeing of their disabled child/family member. Their funding allocations are typically used for items that benefit their disabled child, give themselves a break, and enable the family to function. Parents and whānau need flexibility in their disability supports to meet the unique needs of their family.
IComPA acknowledges the concluding observations from the United Nations International Monitoring Mechanism regarding the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in New Zealand, in particular the lack of suitable respite services in point 39.
IComPA supports the “whole of life” approach as outlined in the New Zealand Disability Strategy 2016-2026. The associated outcomes directly align with ensuring that disabled people and their families have self-determination with their allocated funding.
Ends.
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