Disability Coordination Office ACT - Negotiating the Maze

Youth Allowance and Austudy - Centrelink self service - Skip the queue and claim online

Save yourself some time and claim Student Youth Allowance or Austudy online. Once you have registered to use Centrelink self service, you can access a range of services online or by phone. You can make a claim, update your details, report any income or just check to see when you will get paid. There are many other services available - just go to the Centrelink website to find out more www.centrelink.gov.au/ 

Source: the source - Youth Bulletin Issue 6 www.thesource.gov.au/news/youth_bulletin.asp

Media Release - 6 February 2007

Christopher Pyne MP, Assistant Minister for Health and Ageing

A new Medicare rebate for people with an intellectual disability who have an annual health assessment is to be introduced by the Australian Government. The Assistant Minister for Health and Ageing, Christopher Pyne, said the new item recognised that people with an intellectual disability had complex health needs that were difficult to adequately assess because of the patient's inability to recognise and communicate symptoms.

ANSWD is a student organisation, advocating, promoting, lobbying and campaigning on disability issues. We seek to achieve equality, access, and representation of students with disabilities in the tertiary education sector.

ANSWD website can now be found at http://www.answd.org/

The Smith Family has commissioned the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) to conduct a study of Family Expectations and Post-School Plans. The project will combine a major literature review with around ten case studies of young people and their families. The young people are from disadvantaged backgrounds and participating in the Smith Family's Learning for Life program.

The project began in August 2006 and will conclude in March 2007.

Source: Australian Clearinghouse for Youth Studies – News: No. 124, December 2006

The Australian Government has awarded $700,000 through the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to the Mental Health First Aid team to develop and roll out a youth-specific Mental Health First Aid course nationally. The course will enable people like teachers and parents to provide initial help to a young person with an emerging mental health problem, or who may be experiencing a mental health crisis. The Youth Mental Health First Aid Course is expected to be developed by early 2007.

For further information on the Mental Health First Aid Program, contact Michelle Marven at ORYGEN Research Centre, ph: 0401 825 772 or visit www.mhfa.com.au

Source: Australian Clearinghouse for Youth Studies – News: No. 123, November 2006