Disability Act are defined separately. Its definition of disability is outlined in Box 1.4. Box 1.4: Defining disability Disability Act 2006 (Vic) — Disability: in relation to a person means 1. a sensory, physical or neurological impairment or acquired brain injury or any combination thereof, which— a. is, or is likely to be, permanent, and b. causes a substantially reduced capacity in at least one of the areas of self-care, self-management, mobility or communication, and c. requires significant ongoing or long term episodic support, and d. is not related to ageing, or 2. an intellectual disability, or 3. a developmental delay. Intellectual disability: in relation to a person over the age of 5 years, means the concurrent existence of— 1. significant sub-average general intellectual functioning, and 2. significant deficits in adaptive behaviour— each of which became manifest before the age of 18 years. Developmental delay: means a delay in the development of a child under the age of 6 years which— 1. is attributable to a mental or physical impairment or a combination of mental and physical impairments, and 2. is manifested before the child attains the age of 6 years, and 3. results in substantial functional limitations in one or more of the following areas of major life activity— a. self-care b. receptive and expressive language c. cognitive development d. motor development, and 4. reflects the need for a combination and sequence of special interdisciplinary, or child’s generic care, treatment or other services which are of extended duration and are individually planned and coordinated. Source: Adapted from the Disability Act 2006 (Vic) s.3. The definition of disability in the Disability Act does not include ‘psychiatric Psychiatric disability is a contested term and the mental health sector disability’. tends to use the and enduring mental The National phrase ‘severe illness’. Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) provides supports for people with a condition who have significant and permanent functional ‘psychiatric This includes people with a impairment that results impairment’.39 ‘psychiatric’ National Disability Insurance Scheme NDIS fact sheet, p.1. Accessed Mainstream interface: Mental health services. 39 on 3 September 2014 from
Disability Act are defined separately. Its definition of disability is outlined in Box 1.4. Box 1.4: Defining disability — Disability Act 2006 (Vic) Disability: in relation to a person means 1. a sensory, physical or neurological impairment or acquired brain injury or any combination thereof, which— a. is, or is likely to be, permanent, and b. causes a substantially reduced capacity in at least one of the areas of self-care, self-management, mobility or communication, and c. requires significant ongoing or long term episodic support, and d. is not related to ageing, or 2. an intellectual disability, or 3. a developmental delay. Intellectual disability: in relation to a person over the age of 5 years, means the concurrent existence of— 1. significant sub-average general intellectual functioning, and 2. significant deficits in adaptive behaviour— each of which became manifest before the age of 18 years. Developmental delay: means a delay in the development of a child under the age of 6 years which— 1. is attributable to a mental or physical impairment or a combination of mental and physical impairments, and 2. is manifested before the child attains the age of 6 years, and 3. results in substantial functional limitations in one or more of the following areas of major life activity— a. self-care b. receptive and expressive language c. cognitive development d. motor development, and 4. reflects the child’s need for a combination and sequence of special interdisciplinary, or generic care, treatment or other services which are of extended duration and are individually planned and coordinated. Source: Adapted from the Disability Act 2006 (Vic) s.3. The definition of disability in the Disability Act does not include ‘psychiatric disability’. Psychiatric disability is a contested term and the mental health sector tends to use the phrase ‘severe and enduring mental illness’. The National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) provides supports for people with a ‘psychiatric condition who have significant and permanent functional impairment’.39 This includes people with a ‘psychiatric’ impairment that results 39 National Disability Insurance Scheme Mainstream interface: Mental health services. NDIS fact sheet, p.1. Accessed on 3 September 2014 from