Adaptive Technology can be expensive and equipment is frequently unaffordable to those who require it the most. There is no generic technology funding for blind or low vision people in Tasmania or Australia, but different organisations can assist in various way. Below are some of the funding options in Tasmania. Vision Australia also has a large list of entitlements for people who are blind or vision impaired.
Supporting Individual Pathways Program (SIPS)
This program aims to assist young people with a disability to make a successful transition into post-school life and maximise their potential through further education, training and pre-vocational options. It provides assistance to help individuals meet disability-related support costs.
Conditions
Priority is given to:
Contact
Disability Services Project Officer
Phone (03) 6230 7533 or
Email: sip.disability@dhhs.tas.gov.au
Commonwealth Rehabilitation Scheme (CRS)
Vocational rehabilitation is a service provided by CRS Australia to people with a disability, injury or health condition to help them to get and/or keep a job.
Vocational rehabilitation assists job seeker’s to understand and manage the barriers associated with their disability, injury or health condition. CRS Australia helps job seekers to build work capacity, get a suitable job and avoid re-injury.
Conditions
Contact
Department of Veteran Affairs
The Department of Veteran Affairs can sometimes assist with blind and low vision equipment under the rehabilitation appliance scheme where the client is living independently (i.e. not in a group home) and needs the equipment to continue living an independent lifestyle.
Conditions
Contact
Contact Tasmanian Living Technology on 03 63 317400 for more information
Guide Dogs Student Equipment Library
Guide Dogs Tasmania (Royal Guide Dogs Association of Tasmania) runs a Equipment Library in conjunction with the Department of Education Vision Impairment Service. The library consists of a wide range equipment including braille displays and writers, screen reading software and CCTV magnifiers.
Conditions
Contact
Errol Ingram at Guide Dogs - 03 63 318100
Community Equipment Scheme
The Community Equipment Scheme (CES) provides a variety of equipment and appliances to eligible clients living in the community.
Conditions
The scheme is available to Tasmanian residents living in the community who have a disability of long term or indefinite duration or require equipment as part of discharge from a hospital or residential care and are:
Contact
- South
- Phone: (03) 6222 7226
- North
- Phone: (03) 6348 7906
- North West
- Phone: (03) 6426 2429
Taxation Rebate
The cost of some equipment designed for people who are vision impaired is now eligible for the medical expenses rebate. The rebate means that 20% of all eligible expenses above $1,250 can be claimed. Approved products include a talking computer, reading system and CCTVs, provided they have been prescribed by a medical doctor, optician or optometrist. Consult your tax pack for details.
Other funding and Concessions
National Travel Pass
What does the Pass entitle people to? Does it provide a concession rate for carers?
Holders of the Vision Impaired Travel Pass are entitled to discounted travel on authorised regular passenger transport services Australia wide. In Tasmania, persons with visual impairments living in the cities of Hobart, Launceston and Burnie who travel on services provided by Metro Tasmania Pty Ltd are able to travel free of charge. Metro have for some time been issuing their own travel passes for use by people with visual impairments, and these passes are issued upon production of a statement from the Royal Guide Dogs for the Blind Association of Tasmania which declares that the holder is legally blind.
Persons living in the city of Devonport who travel on services provided by Merseylink also travel free of charge, but need to produce a current Pension Concession Card issued for the Disability Support Pension (Blind).
Travel on authorised services elsewhere in Tasmania, subject to production of a current Vision Impaired Travel Pass, will be undertaken at a concession of 50% at the time of travel.
Mobility Instructors accompanying the pass holder will also be able to travel for the 50% concession.
Is the Pass accepted on all public transport in your state, including those operated by private operators?
The Vision Impaired Travel Pass is accepted for concession travel on all authorised regular passenger transport bus services.
Who should people contact if they require further information?
Persons requiring additional information are able to contact the Passenger Transport Services Branch of DIER by telephoning (03) 6233 5193, by facsimile (03) 6233 5377, or via e-mail to passenger.transport@dier.tas.gov.au.
Cash Money image by Martin Kingsley released under creative commons attribution license and sourced from flickr.
