Located directly opposite Disability Care Australia in Charlestown, CatholicCare Social Services have opened a new disability services office to cater for the anticipated 10,000 Hunter people with a disability who will be eligible for funding over the next three years.
DisabilityCare Australia is the national disability insurance scheme, providing support for people with permanent and significant disability, their families and carers.
The Hunter region is part of the first stage of the scheme, which began its rollout across the local area in July.
CatholicCare Disability Services Manager, Lou Rak, said staff are looking forward to having the opportunity to talk with individuals and carers about their options.
“I invite anyone to drop in and have a chat with and we’d be happy to go over our services, support and programs in more detail and see how we can assist them,” Lou said.
“We also want to dispel the myth that services offered by CatholicCare are only available to Catholics.”
“We’re a proud Catholic organisation, however our services are open to all in the community and we really want everyone to know they’re welcome”.
At the opening, Bishop Bill Wright introduced the newly-appointed Director of CatholicCare, Lisa Short, who has high hopes for the organisation and its future growth.
“CatholicCare has a great reputation in the community services sector for providing more than 50 years of quality care to individuals, children, couples and their families and I’m absolutely delighted to be appointed to the role of Director,” Lisa said.
“I am looking forward to growing the organisation further and am particularly honoured to be present during the opening of our new disability services building at Charlestown. I know this is just the start of assisting even more people in our community and that’s a very exciting prospect.”
CatholicCare Social Services Hunter-Manning is a not-for-profit organisation and a mission and outreach agency of the Catholic Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle.
They employ more than 160 local people to provide services and support to families, couples, individuals and children in the Hunter-Manning regions.
Pictured | Bishop Bill Wright and foster carer and disability advocate Pat Walker during the ceremony
