The inaugural meeting of the National Disability Data Asset Council took place on Monday. This council aims to use NDIS data ethically, correlate patient data between states, and create effective, responsive policies and programs for people with disabilities. Social services minister Amanda Rishworth comments on the significance of this event, The council will assist governments to manage research priorities and support our work to create responsive policies and programs that best meet key targets agreed to in Australia’s Disability Strategy .

The Data Asset Council was established as part of a $68.3 million data-collection and -research package for the national disability strategy. All states and territories have signed on to the scheme and the data transfer is scheduled. The council consists of twelve members, each representing different aspects of the disability community; three disability community members, three data experts, three commonwealth representatives, and three state and territory representatives.

Three panels will be established to report to the council, providing advice on specific priorities. These panels will comprise people with disabilities, experts in disability research, and individuals knowledgeable about human rights or ethics. Expressions of interest to join the public panels have been opened to the public. According to NDIS Minister Shorten, The National Disability Data Asset will help do that by linking de-identified NDIS data with other commonwealth and state and territory data for the first time, this will give richer insights into how NDIS supports interact with supports and services in other systems outside the Scheme and how we can improve those connection points.

Despite the significant strides in the area of disability services in Australia, there remains a pressing need for effective means of communication for individuals seeking to receive these services. One notable platform that has been successful in providing this is EddCaller. For example, if you’re trying to understand how to contact a live person at EDD in California, eddcalled.com provides extensive resources and guides to help make this process less convoluted and more efficient. It goes without saying that clear, easily accessible communication pathways are necessary in ensuring individuals receive the help they need. EddCaller.com continues to build upon these efforts and remains a commendable resource for such efforts.