The Disability Strategic Plan provides an overview of the key interagency strategies and activities planned by the justice sector over the next four years to improve the delivery of services to people with disabilities. Highlights of achievements of the Plan during 1999/2000 follow:
1. SERVICES AND PROGRAMS
To provide and adapt services and programs to ensure that people with a disability do not experience discrimination as either users of Departmental services, as service providers, or as staff,
and have their particular needs for services and support acknowledged and met.
KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
· Establishment of an effective Advisory Council on Disability and agreement to a work program for the Council.
· Establishment of the position Coordinator, Disability Strategic Plan (DSP) in the Department.
· Establishment of a (DSP) Implementation Team in the Department.
· A Services Innovations Scheme will be established by the Department by June 1998.
ACHIEVEMENTS
· Supported the Disability Advisory Council (DAC) and Internal Steering Committee (ISC) which both meet quarterly and provide strategic advice.
· Submitted periodic updates on the DSP implementation to the DAC and ISC.
· Converted the temporary position, Coordinator DSP into a permanent position.
· Developed and implemented the Flexible Service Delivery Pilot Project across 3 sites of the Department.
· Incorporated disability access issues into business centre business plans.
2. ACCESS TO THE JUSTICE SYSTEM
To adopt practices within the Justice System which ensure that people with a disability are treated equally by the law and have equal access to legal services.
KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
· Departmental response to the Law Reform Commission’s review of People with Intellectual Disability and the Criminal Justice System.
· The Department will develop and implement action plans for enhancing access to the justice system for all people with a disability.
· A program of disability awareness training for the Public Defender’s Office commenced by October 1997.
· Commence, during 1997, of a joint review with the Judiciary of discriminatory court practices.
ACHIEVEMENTS
· Committee on Intellectual Disability and the Criminal Justice System has been preparing three documents on:
· Witnesses with intellectual disabilities
· Police interviewing techniques of people with impaired intellectual functioning. And
· diversion options for people with intellectual disabilities.
· Coordinated cross government efforts to develop a Justice Portfolio: Disability Action Plan.
· Conducted Disability Awareness Training courses for Public Defenders.
· Completed and reviewed by the Quality Council the Strategic Quality Team on how To Improve Access To Court Related Practices And Procedures For People With Disabilities.
· Engaged in ongoing discussion with the Judiciary and Judicial Commission on disability issues.
3. ACCESS TO BUILDINGS AND FACILITIES
To provide and adapt buildings and facilities, or services, to ensure that people with a disability do not experience discrimination as either users of Departmental services, as service providers or as staff, and have their particular needs for services and support acknowledged and met.
KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
· Access Audits for buildings and facilities completed by end 1998.
· An initial program to upgrade access to priority buildings and facilities is included in the 1998/99 Budget, with further expenditure incorporated into subsequent Budgets, within the Department’s Capital Works Maintenance Program.
ACHIEVEMENTS
· Finalised 110 physical access audits of all country court houses in August 1999.
· Enhanced access provisions at 22 Courts, costing $500,000.
· Completed the inclusion of court house access audit specifications into the plan for access improvement works to courthouses.
4. COMMUNICATIONS
To provide effective means of communicating information about all our services and activities for people with a disability, and to enable them to communicate effectively before the Courts and in Departmental programs, through appropriate communications practices and technologies.
KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
· Acoustic audits carried out on each Court.
· Pilot Project on demand for hearing assistance completed by September 1998,
· Telephone Typewriter (TTY) access services introduced across the Department by September 1998.
ACHIEVEMENTS
· Continued courtroom acoustic audits across the state. Recommendations for courtroom enhancements have been provided to Capital Works.
· Developed, publicised and implemented ‘Infra-Red’ hearing assistance device program across all courts.
· Introduced another 5 TTYs across the Department, including several courthouses. Total in Department now 18.
5. EMPLOYMENT AND CAREERS
To develop policies and practices which meet the Department’s responsibilities as an EEO employer and which actively encourage employment and career opportunities for people with a disability.
KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
· Workplace and work practice guidelines, and information on facilities for staff with a disability completed by March 1998.
· Review of job requirements and employment conditions completed by end of 1998.
ACHIEVEMENTS
· Distributed selection guidelines for people with disabilities.
· Included within Performance Planning and Evaluation program disability awareness requirement.
· Integrated within job evaluations and employment conditions, issues relating to people with disabilities.
· Consultation undertaken with ADB and ODEOPE as required for issues arising. ODEOPE receives the EEO Annual Report and provides feedback the progress of EEO programs.
· Guidelines for Recruiting People with a Disability have been developed, distributed and promoted.
6. STAFF TRAINING
To ensure that staff of the Department are adequately trained to provide effective and non-discriminatory services and employment options for people with a disability.
KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
· Training modules on disability awareness available by June 1997.
· Disability awareness training is provided for all managerial and supervisory staff by the end of 1998.
· Department’s Quality Program, Performance Management Scheme, and other relevant service quality and staff appraisal procedures include disability awareness principles by March 1998.
· Training programs and venues are modified to make them fully accessible to people with a disability by July 1998.
ACHIEVEMENTS
· Provided general disability awareness training courses for staff as part of annual departmental training program.
· Developed specific disability awareness training courses addressing the issues of people with hearing impairments, people with psychiatric Disabilities and people with intellectual disabilities.
· Ensured all training courses, including the Quality Team program, Client Service Skills and Performance Management Scheme integrated disability issues from both delivery and content perspectives.
· Assisted with the coordination of the Flexible Service Delivery Pilot Project.
· Provided all in-house training in accessible venues.
7. CONSULTATION AND PARTICIPATION
To provide an open, consultative environment in the Department which ensures that people with a disability are consulted and participate in key decision-making forums within the Department.
KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
· Establishment of an effective Advisory Council on Disability and agreement to a work program for the Council.
· People with disability will be included in decision making forums beyond the Disability Advisory Council's functions.
· Procedures for consultation and arrangements for participation in the Department's decision making processes for people with disability will be evaluated for their effectiveness by service users.
ACHIEVEMENTS
See Item 1: Access to Services and Programs
8. BEST PRACTICE IN MANAGEMENT
To adopt management practices within the Department which reflect/establish best practice in fulfilling government and departmental responsibilities, in meeting the needs and protecting the rights of people with disabilities.
KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
· Disability awareness principles and responsibilities for implementing Departmental disability strategies and actions are incorporated into the 2000 round of performance agreements for managers.
· All Departmental Plans incorporate disability principles and the Department’s disability strategies and actions.
· This Disability Strategic Plan in summary form is published and distributed widely.
· By December 1997, established procedures to continue to expand the Department’s professional knowledge and expertise of issues relating to the effective implementation of the Disability Strategic Plan.
ACHIEVEMENTS
· The performance of business centre managers was assessed through the business planning process. All business centre plans include disability awareness strategies.
· The review of the Department’s planning process resulted in a format that required all business centre managers specify actions to eliminate discrimination against people with disabilities in our services and workplaces.
· The new Disability Strategic Plan 2000-2002 was developed in consultation with business centres, senior staff, other departments and the Disability Advisory Council.
· Strategies to address issues for people with disabilities were incorporated into the development of the Workplace Safety Improvement Plan (W.S.I.P.) 2000 - 2002. The IT Strategic Plan 2000 - 2003 and the Strategic Framework for Court Services 2000 - 2004.
· Maintained the profile of disability issues in the Department by ensuring regular coverage in Department’s newsletter, Agenda.
9. RESOURCING THE PLAN
To provide sufficient resources (money, people, skills and facilities) to implement the Plan within the timeframes established.
KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
· Staff with responsibility for implementing the Plan in each Business centre are identified.
ACHIEVEMENTS
· Business centre managers are responsible for implementation of particular strategies of the Plan that relate to their core business and employment practices.