A remote northern Western Australia medical service says its NDIS staff are burnt out and desperately needing a better space for people with a disability than a "derelict donga" currently in use.
The issues facing National Disability Insurance Scheme provider Yura Yungi Medical Service in the Kimberley town of Halls Creek were laid bare to Commonwealth NDIS Minister Linda Reynolds during her recent trip to the Kimberley.
The service's CEO Brenda Garstone told the minister that NDIS funding provided to Yura Yungi was nowhere near enough to deliver a proper service in a town which faces high levels of disadvantage and overcrowding.
Ms Garstone said that she hoped Ms Reynolds would come away from the visit with the view of allocating more funding to Yura Yungi so extra staff could be employed who are dedicated to NDIS services.
"It's becoming very frustrating. At the moment it's all adhoc. It's all based on fly-in fly-out support services," she said.
"We've only got a small number of local staff, but they suffer burn-out because of all these added layers of service requirements."
She said cultural barriers often made it difficult for her under-resourced staff members to sign people up to the NDIS.
"It requires a lot of investment of time," she said.
'Derelict donga' not meeting needs of vulnerable
The CEO of Yura Yungi also urged the minister to support the creation of a healing centre, a safe space designed for the elderly and people with a disability.
Jaru man Francis Dreamer suffers from blindness and his sister Janet Dreamer cared for him until she recently became unwell.
The pair say a healing centre would also provide a stress-free environment for them to meet with other men and women, and take part in cultural activities.
"Sit out and talk and drink tea and talk with anybody," Ms Dreamer said.
"Also sowing, making a dilly bag … bush medicine."
Ms Garstone said Yura Yungi's current space was not fit for that purpose.
"We've got a very old, derelict donga and a garden shed with a concrete floor where we're trying to engage people with disabilities," she said.
"But it's not a very welcoming environment.
Space needed for respite from overcrowding
Overcrowding in Halls Creek is rife, in part due to a lack of social housing, and NDIS coordinator Daralyn Bedford said it was vital the elderly and people with a disability had a place to escape.
"I think it's really needed … somewhere they can just come and spend the day," she said.
Yura Yungi social and emotional wellbeing manager Maureen O'Meara said a healing centre would provide significant mental health benefits.
"We know the stuff around mindfulness is really important, being able to just have that space to think and to calm their brain," she said.
The health service has long lobbied the WA government for funding for the healing centre and has been frustrated by delays in acquiring the adjacent block of land from the Aboriginal Lands Trust where it is hoped to be built.
WA's Department of Planning Lands and Heritage told the ABC a native title process to do with the land had been recently resolved.
"The department can now re-engage with Yura Yungi to complete the remaining steps towards divestment, including seeking the approval of the Aboriginal Lands Trust," the statement said.
Minister Reynolds told the ABC during her visit to Halls Creek she supported boosting services at Yura Yungi saying "money isn't the problem".
She acknowledged that some aspects of the NDIS were not functioning effectively.
"I think we just need a new approach to how we work with communities, in communities."
