More than $72 million have been invested into the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) to deliver front line disability services in South Australia.

Minister for Social Services Dan Tehan today announced Baptcare and Mission Australia as Partners in the Community (Partners) delivering Local Area Coordination (LAC) services in South Australia.

“This is another important milestone as we roll out the National Disability Insurance Scheme that will change the lives of hundreds of thousands of Australians with a disability and create thousands of new jobs,” Mr Tehan said.

“A service delivery project of this size has never been undertaken before anywhere in the world and all levels of government and the community and private sector need to work co-operatively together to realise the full potential of the scheme.

“Baptcare and Mission Australia are two experienced and respected organisations that have existing community connections and infrastructure which will allow them to quickly scale up across South Australia.

“Baptcare and Mission Australia will join existing supplier Feros Care to support an expected 32,300 people with disability in South Australia by 2020.

“The transition to the NDIS from state and territory services represents a major change, but also a major improvement to the previous system."

The introduction of NDIS to SA is expected to boost the local economy by $740 milliion, and bring in 5,000 new jobs. At the same time, the scheme will be able to support 32,300 South Australians with disability (from 17,000). 

Baptcare will receive approximately $24.8 million to deliver LAC Services in:

• Eastern Adelaide, Western Adelaide and Yorke Mid North.

Mission Australia will receive approximately $47.3 million to deliver LAC Services in:

• Limestone Coast, Murray and Mallee, Fleurieu and Kangaroo Island, Eyre & Western and Far North, and Southern Adelaide.

Baptcare and Mission Australia are expected to commence services from March 2018 for three years.