The ACT Disability Health Strategy will build on previous work, including the ACT Council of Social Service 2019 report Imagining Better – Reflections on access, choice and control in ACT health services for people with disability and the 2022 Women’s Health Matters report “I have to ask to be included…” which documents the views of ACT women with disability about their health and health needs, access to services, supports and information, and barriers to maintaining health.

The development of the ACT Disability Health Strategy is taking place over at least three phases.

Phase One: Scoping (completed)

The scoping phase for the Strategy resulted in the completion of two different elements.

• The development of a scoping paper titled Future Directions of Disability Health in the ACT: Phase One of the ACT Disability Health Strategy Project.
• Targeted consultation through the implementation of an ACT Disability Health Strategy Roundtable, the findings from which can be found in the Listening Report – Phase One of the ACT Disability Health Strategy Project.

Phase Two: Development

This phase of the project will deliver the final draft ACT Disability Health Strategy and its First Action Plan.

The development of the Strategy and action plan is supported by a significant evidence base, including feedback from the Health and Wellbeing consultations undertaken by Community Services Directorate for the ACT Disability Strategy, along with national and local legislation, policy, and research.

Development of the ACT Disability Health Strategy and its First Action Plan is being guided by the ACT Disability Health Strategy Steering Committee, comprised of people with disability, carers of people with disability, service providers, advocacy groups, and ACT Government representatives.

So far, this phase of the project has delivered:

• a Listening Report, ACT Disability Health Strategy Roundtable: Listening Report – Phase Two of the ACT Disability Health Strategy Project (an Easy English translation is under development).

This phase will be completed after six weeks public consultation of the draft ACT Disability Health Strategy and the development of its First Action Plan.

Phase Three: Launch and implementation

This phase of the project will deliver:

• the final versions of the Strategy and First Action Plan in multiple formats, including Easy English
• planning and implementation of any seed projects.

Additional information

The Disability Royal Commission is due to deliver a final report to the Australian Government by 29 September 2023. Future work by ACT Government will be required to reflect the recommendations from this report.