Attached is Jobs Australia’s response to the National Mental Health and Disability Employment Strategy (NMHDES) discussion paper.
Our submission acknowledges the negative effects of the previous Government’s Welfare to Work policies on the employment participation of people with disabilities, and the expert advice already provided to the Government from respected bodies.
We address among other things:
· incentives have more positive impact on participation rates than coercive measures
· examples of ways to address negative stereotyping
· specialist services for people with severe mental health disabilities
· the high incidence of undiagnosed and/or undisclosed mental health problems in the general population and the effect this may have in Stream 4 and Work Experience provision
· Commonwealth and State and Territory public sector agencies providing leadership in employing people with disabilities. Employment and related services providers should also be expected to demonstrate exemplary practices in terms of their employment of people with disabilities.
