TeenZone Expands To - Novita Children's Services

4Equipment ProvisionAjoint project between theDepartment of Families andCommunities (DFC) and Novitahas been conducted over the past 10months to streamline our equipmentprovision processes. These changes arecurrently being introduced and willbecome more apparent over the comingmonths. One of the changes which hasalready occurred is that the DFC use theDomiciliary Equipment Service (DES),which will be responsible for purchasing,recycling, repairing, maintaining anddelivering DFC-funded equipment toclients across South Australia.Novita will continue to work closelywith DES to improve these services,and while DES manages large stores ofrefurbished equipment, the Novitastore will continue to hold many of thechildren’s equipment items.Novita therapists will continue towork with clients and families to assesstheir equipment needs and developdetailed prescriptions.What does this mean for clients andtheir families? We are in the earlystages, but working with DES to enablethe following services:• Some standard equipment will beavailable without waiting for fundingapproval, following application fromyour therapist and check of stores• Modification to existing equipmentwithout waiting for funding approval• Fast “turn around” for equipmentcollection and delivery• Using DES for cleaning, repairs andsome modifications to equipment,and to order and purchase DFCfunded equipmentPlease note that therapist assessmentsare vital to this provision process andrequests will be managed as efficientlyas possible, in order of urgency, withineach service area.If you have unused equipment items,please call the Novita Store (ph: 82438302) or email equipment@novita.org.au to arrange for collection and returnto the store. Thanks for your help inmaking sure we are making the most ofour resources!Please talk to your therapists if youhave questions about equipment.Feedback regarding equipmentprovision processes can be sent viaemail to equipment@novita.org.au orequipment.feedback@dfc.sa.gov.auFor information regarding Novita’sEquipment Service, please call8329 2025.Sue BostockNovita’s Equipment ServiceArea ManagerCerebral PalsyAwareness Week:Novita’s ‘A day in thelife of a therapist’online campaign1-7 August was Cerebral PalsyAwareness Week acrossAustralia. Novita recognised theweek through an onlinecampaign about the many andvarying activities happeningwith our clients who live withcerebral palsy, inside andoutside our offices. Aiming tocapture snapshots of ‘a day inthe life of a Novita therapist’,candid images and informativecaptions were shared withNovita’s supporters and theSouth Australian communitythrough Facebook and Twitter.Lots of positive and supportivefeedback was evoked by theimages, which included imagesof a Splashers hydrotherapysession, walker clinic,playgroup, and even theRegional Services’ team’sroadtrip to Woomera!The Cerebral PalsyAwareness Week online albumcan still be viewed at Novita’sFacebook page (search for:Novita Children’s Services),and Twitter page(www.twitter.com/novitastar).Transitioning to adult services, or... what happens after Novita?Novita’s Child and AdolescentService has been holdinginformation sessions aboutmaking a smooth transition to adultdisability services, for clients aged15½ to 17 years old.The sessions are aimed at helpingfamilies understand their choices fordisability services after Novita.Each session features a mini expo ofpopular adult disability services,brochures about services plus plenty ofdiscussion and question time.The details of the next session are:Tuesday 21 SeptemberThe BillabongNovita’s Parafield Gardens Office,422 Salisbury Highway,Parafield Gardens (entrance at rearof building)6pm - 7pm Mini Expo7pm – 8.30 Disability SA& Novita presentations.Minimum numbers are required tohold the session, so for moreinformation or to RSVP, please callNovita’s Parafield Gardens Office on8182 1000.We look forward to seeing you there!