What is the DAFP?
The DAFP commenced in 2022 following a recommendation from the NSW Ageing and Disability Commission’s Review into Disability Advocacy Funding in NSW.
It provides funding to support people with disability navigate local services on a 1-to-1 basis, to fund organisations working towards long-term social change, and to fund policy advocacy groups run by, or on behalf of, people with disability. The program focuses on all people with disability in NSW who need support to access NSW Government funded services, regardless of whether they are participants of the National Disability Insurance Scheme.
To learn more about the DAFP, visit the website or download the DAFP Flyer here.
What MHCN does through the DAFP
MHCN is proud to be the DAFP systemic advocate for psychosocial disability.
Psychosocial disability includes mental illness, emotional and nervous conditions, memory problems, and social or behavioural difficulties. It is a term “used to describe a disability that may arise from a mental health issue” (NDIS).
80% of support a person needs when experiencing mental health distress are non-treatment related. When there are issues in our services, these negatively impact people with disability. Our DAFP program works towards ensuring that people with disability, their carers, family, and kin are informed, supported, and valued.
MHCN’s systemic advocacy is different from case management, individual advocacy, legal support, or support coordination. We are unable to provide people with direct advocacy services, however, we may be able to connect you with the appropriate service or advocate.
We with other disability advocacy providers to improve NSW services. We believe that disability advocacy needs to be better understood and embedded across NSW, disability organisations need secure and sustainable funding, and that NSW services need to be better connected.
Psychosocial disability is often misunderstood, stigmatised, and left out of service design and planning. We believe that a fairer and safer system can exist when we encourage and fund services and providers to better understand psychosocial disability and the barriers that people face when trying to navigate the system and use services.
We advocate for the systemic inclusion of people with psychosocial disabilities and for better inclusion of their experiences, views, and needs in policy and service planning, design, review, and reform. We do this by researching and publishing positions on risk areas and barriers in services, raising the issues and needs of people with psychosocial disability in committees, working groups, and at events, and meeting with and advocating to NSW MPs.
We also deliver special projects to build capacity, including lived experience training and development. CDT Lived Experience Australia training.
Our Psychosocial Disability Policy Positions
Through consultation with individuals, carers, providers, and consultants, we have identified several systemic issues in need of improvement.
Reduce Stigma and Discrimination
- People with psychosocial disability experience disproportionately higher rates of discrimination in society. This is linked to lower rates of awareness about what psychosocial disability and how it can manifest.
- A statewide psychosocial disability campaign is needed to promote better social awareness.
- NSW services, providers, and workers need to better understand psychosocial disability, the social and service implications, and how to engage with people with psychosocial disability in safe, positive, and empowering ways.
Psychosocial Disability Must be Represented in the NSW Disability Policy Landscape
- Organisations must consult with people with psychosocial disability, carers, family, and kin any time they are conducting research into disability in general.
Clearer Pathways to Services
- Government, non-government, and service providers need a stronger interface so that service navigation and access is streamlined, easier, and fairer.
- Services need more accessible ways and supports for people with psychosocial disability, their carers, family, and kin to get information, access referrals and documents, and lodge applications.
- Peer support workers are funded statewide to support service navigation and use.
Trauma-Informed Practices are Essential for Safer Service Provision
- Violence, abuse, and neglect against people with disability has no place in our society.
- If providers wish to offer services for mental health and psychosocial disability, they must undergo mandatory training and capacity building in these areas prior to delivery.
- Support personnel must be supported by their employers through clear risk-management, de-escalation, and harm-reduction strategies so they can deliver trauma-informed care to people with psychosocial disability.
DAFP Service Providers
The DAFP funds
Several diverse types of advocacy providers for people with disability in NSW. While MHCN is unable to provide advocacy on a case-by–case basis, there are several advocacy organisations that may be of use.
Individual advocacy providers
are equipped to assist individuals by advocating for their fair treatment in circumstances such as the workplace, accommodation, health care and engagement in government services (including Centrelink and NDIS). They are also available to help individuals access services and supports via referrals.
Systemic Advocacy Providers
Campaign for changes or improvements in Government policies, to make the system more inclusive and effective for people with disabilities. Some providers advocate for specific groups within disabilities. Systemic advocacy provides high-quality evidence-based advice to inform government and systems of ways to protect peoples’ rights and improve quality of life.
Representative Advocacy Providers
Are run by individuals with the specific disability the organisation represents or other individual on behalf of people with the disability represented. The services provided differ amongst representative groups in line of the demand for supports that are prominent within the group they represent.
The DAFP funds the following organisations to provide these advocacy services across NSW.
Individual Disability Advocacy – by group
- Legal Disability Advocacy: Intellectual Disability Rights Service, 02 9265 6350
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander: First Peoples Disability Network (Australia) Ltd, 02 9267 4195
- Culturally and Linguistically Diverse: Multicultural Disability Advocacy Association of NSW, 02 9891 6400, 1800 629 072
Individual Disability Advocacy – by area
- Southern NSW, Illawarra Shoalhaven and Murrumbidgee: ACT Disability, Aged Carer Advocacy Service Limited, 02 6242 5060
- Northern Sydney and Central Coast: Action for People with Disability Inc. 02 9449 5355
- Hunter New England, Northern NSW and Mid North Coast, Western and Far West NSW, Western Sydney and Nepean Blue Mountains: Advocacy Law Alliance Incorporated, 1300 365 085
- Sydney and South Eastern Sydney and South Western Sydney: People with Disability Australia Limited, 02 9370 3100, 1800 422 015
Systemic Disability Advocacy
- All Disabilities: People with Disability Australia Limited, 1800 422 015, 02 9370 3100
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander: First Peoples Disability Network, (Australia) Ltd, 02 9267 4195
- Culturally and Linguistically Diverse: Multicultural Disability Advocacy, Association of NSW, 02 9891 6400, 1800 629 072
- Intellectual Disability: NSW Council for Intellectual Disability, 1800 424 065
- Physical Disability: Physical Disability Council of NSW Inc, 1800 688 831, 02 9552 1606
- Psychosocial Disability: Mental Health Carers NSW, 02 9332 0777
Representative Disability Advocacy
- Blind Citizens Australia, 1800 033 660
- Deaf Connect, 02 8833 3600
- Down Syndrome Association of NSW Inc, 02 9481 4444
- Motor Neurone Disease NSW Ltd, 02 8877 0999, 1800 777 175
- Muscular Dystrophy NSW Ltd, 1800 635 109
- Spinal Cord Injuries Australia Limited, 1800 819 775
- Stroke Recovery Association NSW, 02 9807 6422
- Synapse Australia Ltd, 1800 673 074
- The Institute for Family Advocacy & Leadership Development, 02 9869 0866, 1800 620 588
More Advocacy & Information Services
Disability Advocacy Finder
This tool allows you to search for disability advocacy providers in your area. Please note, this will only provide information on advocacy providers that receive federal advocacy funding. Start your search by visiting the Disability Advocacy Finder website
National Disability Gateway
This portal provides information and services to people with disability, their family, and carers. They can help you find information and support for financial issues, employment, assistive technology, housing, transport, health, education, and human rights.
Visit the National Disability Gateway website or phone toll free 1800 643 787, Monday to Friday, 8am to 8pm.
Disability Australia Hub
The Disability Australia Hub is a project of the Australian Federation of Disability Organisations (AFDO) and provides a gateway to disability knowledge, advocacy and information resources.
Visit the Disability Australia Hub website
Disability Advocacy NSW (DA)
DA helps people of all ages with any type of disability or mental illness get fair treatment in the across many regions of NSW in areas such as government departments, in education, accommodation, and transport, with legal, health care, or financial issues, and with discrimination matters.
- Website
- Phone: 1300 365 085 or 02 4927 0111
- Translating and Interpreting Services: 131 450
Regional Disability Advocacy Service (RDAS)
The Regional Disability Advocacy Service provide, individual and self-advocacy, community education and training along with outreach services, NDIS access and support and NDIA appeals. Visit their website. Call toll free on 1800 250 292 or call the regional office at:
- Griffith 02 6909 1787.
- Lavington 1800 250 292.
- Wagga Wagga 02 6921 9225.
- Wangaratta 03 5718 0171.
- Wodonga 02 6056 2420.
National Relay Service TTY/Voice 133 677 or internet relay at www.relayservice.com.au
Telephone Interpreter Service (TIS) is for non-English speaking or English as a second language phone 131 450 and ask to be connected to 02 6056 2420
Newell Advocacy
Newell Advocacy covers an area of 160,000 square kilometers, provide a range of services including.
- Discrimination
- Human Rights
- The Law
- Accommodation
- Abuse/Bullying
- Employment
Visit their website
Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC)
PIAC is an independent, non-profit law and policy organisation, committed to social justice and addressing disadvantage.
PIAC helps people by providing legal assistance, policy advice and training. PIAC works with people who have the least access to economic, social and legal resources and opportunities. This includes people experiencing homelessness, children in detention, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people who have suffered discrimination and those who struggle to access essential services.
For more information about PIAC please visit their website phone 02 8898 6545
Australian Indigenous Health Info Net
The Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet is an internet resource that aims to inform practice and policy in Indigenous health by making research and other knowledge readily accessible. In this way, the Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet contributes to closing the gap in health between Indigenous and other Australians.
For more information about the Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet, visit their website
National Ethnic Disability Alliance (NEDA)
NEDA advocates at the federal level for the rights and interests of people from Non-English-Speaking Backgrounds (NESB) with disability, their families and carers so that they can participate fully in all aspects of social, economic, political and cultural life.
For more information visit their website, phone 02 6262 6867 or email comms@neda.org.au
Children and Young People with Disability Australia (CYDA)
CYDA is the national peak body representing children and young people aged up to 25 with disability.
Visit their website or phone 03 9417 1025