The Department of Communities (Disability and Community Care Services) will transition funded non-government service provision during 2010 and 2011. Funding arrangements will be refocused from an input model (the resources required to produce an output) to an output model.
Funding for output based service provision aims to promote the efficiency and effectiveness of the non government disability sector by reducing costs through the streamlining of reporting and financial accountability requirements. This will allow funded non-government service providers to refocus attention from administrative processing to actual service provision.
Table of contents:
- What is an output?
- How is funding for output based service provision different from the current disability services funding arrangements?
- When will each organisation transition to Output Based Service Provision?
- Does the financial acquittal process change when an Organisation transitions to an output Service Agreement?
- Disability Services Outputs and Output Measures
- Service Capacity Notification
- Change of Funded Provider
- Contact us
What is an output?
In simple terms an output is a good or service delivered to someone else which generates a desired outcome. Service providers transform resources (inputs) into services (outputs) and the impact of these outputs on individuals, groups and the community are the outcomes of the service.
How is funding for output based service provision different from the current disability services funding arrangements?
Currently funding for service provision is input based. Funding is provided in line with a budget proposal developed jointly between Disability Services and the funded non-government service provider and is focused on staffing and operating costs. Service providers must acquit against the line items in the budget at a program or grant level.
Funding for outputs based service provision is focussed on the service provided (output) to the service user. The funding is allocated to produce the output. The outputs will be reported through the Disability Services National Minimum Data Set (DS NMDS) and financial reporting will be streamlined.
When will each organisation transition to Output Based Service Provision?
The Department of Communities (Disability Services) will be working with organisations to transition them to output based service provision throughout 2010 and 2011.
The output information will be captured and included in the output based funding agreement when the organisation transitions.
Does the financial acquittal process change when an Organisation transitions to an output Service Agreement?
Yes, Organisations in an output Service Agreement with the Department of Communities (Disability Services) are not required to submit quarterly financial acquittals for each Service Outlet and Program.
Instead, the payment of recurrent funding will be quarterly in advance, subject to receipt of the following:
- one Director's Certification Director's Certification for all recurrent funding received in the previous quarter; and
- the Disability Services National Minimum Data Set (DS NMDS) quarterly data transmission report.
For further information please refer to Part C, Item 9 "Timing of Payments" and, Item 10 "Financial statement and reports", of your Service Agreement.
Disability Services Outputs and Output Measures
Disability Services is using a standard set of outputs to describe the services it funds. The outputs relate directly to the disability service types currently reported under the Disability Services National Minimum Data Set (DS NMDS). In most cases, the output is the same as the disability service type.
Each output has or will have one or more associated 'output measures'. the output measures allow the government and service providers to clearly identify the quantity of outputs being delivered.
For more about Disability Services National Minimum Data Set (DS NMDS)
Guidelines for quantifying outputs
Service Capacity Notification
Service providers are required to notify the department when a change occurs which affects service capacity and/or where there is a significant change in service delivery. This may result when, a client:
- passes away or
- moves interstate and/or
- permanently or temporarily no longer requires the current level of support and/or
- permanently or temporarily exits from the specialist disability service system and the individual was receiving any of the following service types:
- Accommodation Support
- Community Support
- Community Access
- Respite
- In-home Support.
A permanent or temporary increase in service capacity that results from a change in service delivery arrangements or a review of service delivery costs is also a notifiable change.
Use the Service capacity notification form to advise of any such changes.
For further infomation on Service Capacity Notification Service Capacity Notification
Change of Funded Provider
In recognition that an individual's needs and lifestyle preferences change, the department has facilitated wherever possible, a change in funded provider. For people with an individual funding allocation, this has typically occurred through a Transfer of Service Provider process (TOSP).
This Change of Funded Provider Change of Funded Provider fact sheet will provide further information.
Contact us
If you require any more assistance please contact Disability NGO Procurement and Contract Management, Disability Services on contractmanagement@communities.qld.gov.au.
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