Centacare FNQ has assured it is business as usual for NDIS support coordination in Cooktown, Wujal Wujal and Hope Vale. Photo: Facebook (Centacare FNQ).
In a remote community where in-person services are few and far between, Cooktown residents relying on disability services can breathe a sigh of relief after Centacare FNQ announced it will not be pulling back on support.
The reassurance comes after media reports about Centacare Brisbane’s withdrawal from some disability services in the area, sparking concern in Cooktown, Cairns and Atherton, which are covered by the FNQ branch.
Centacare FNQ mental health and wellbeing manager Gillian Donkers said locally based, face-to-face support was irreplaceable.
“I know a lot of services would do the virtual support to the community, or fly-in, fly-out kind of thing, but I think one of the big things is that we actually are based in the local community,” she said.
“Our worker there is full time, and they do also go south to Wujal Wujal as well as north to Hope Vale, so they have a bit of a reach as well to other, more remote communities.”
Ms Donkers said Centacare FNQ offered support coordination services to the region, making rapport with clients and working relationships with other disability support providers in the area invaluable, which would not be possible if support were pulled from small communities such as Cooktown.
“I guess the biggest barrier would just be that lack of knowledge of how the community works, what providers are in the community, and relationships within the community,” she said.
“A big part of that is building trust with different providers, and building those working relationships by talking to them face-to-face, and ensure the best support for community members.”
