May 2008 - Epilepsy Australia

face2faceJacinta Cummins joined Epilepsy ACT in 2000 as ExecutiveDirector and is the current Chair of the Joint EpilepsyCouncil of Australia [JECA]. Jacinta’s achievements duringthis time include delivering the nationally accredited coursein epilepsy training, developed by Victoria University incollaboration with the Foundation of Victoria, throughoutthe ACT, developing an award winning informationresource for indigenous Australians, and raising the bar oncommunity service delivery within the ACT.Jacinta works tirelessly for the Australian epilepsy movement. As Chair of JECA and lobbyist,the recent announcement of the Parliamentary Friends of Epilepsy group is evidence of herdetermination to give epilepsy a voice in the halls of power.“Married with two adults sons, I havelived in the ACT for most of my adultyears. I grew up with three sisterson a farm in the middle of nowherethat didn’t have electricity until I wasabout 10 years old. I went to a primaryschool that had 18 kids in a goodyear and was in a class of my own. Imoved to Melbourne for my secondaryeducation and during this time I didvolunteer work at Kew Cottages, aresidential service for the intellectuallydisabled. I guess you could say myinterest in disability stemmed fromthere.In 1988 I was employed as a Homeand Community Care Case Managerfor the Aged, Younger People withDisabilities, people of Non EnglishSpeaking Backgrounds, Aboriginaland Torres Strait Islanders and theirCarers. The ethos of the service wasto achieve excellence in the provisionof services to prevent inappropriateadmission to institutions within aHCAA Case Management Framework.Since joining Epilepsy ACT I havebeen privileged to speak on behalfof the epilepsy community at bothFederal and Territory level. Suchadvocacy has included input in gettingthe question on seizures included inthe Child Disability Assessment Tool,sitting on the committee for the ACTthat produced the report Raising theStandard. A Manual to Guide QualityImprovement in the ACT CommunityService Organization. 2002, andsitting on the Access Equity andFunding Committee for DisabilityServices. I am currently a memberof the National Disability ServicesCommittee.At Epilepsy ACT our mission is toensure that epilepsy information isaccessible to all within our communityand with this in mind we undertooka program to develop appropriateliterature and counselling servicesfor our local indigenous community.In consultation with local groupsa culturally sensitive EpilepsyInformation & Resource Kit forAboriginal People was produced. Inaddition, an indigenous person wasemployed and trained as an epilepsyeducator and counsellor to work withinthe community. This program wasawarded the Pfizer Foundation Awardfrom America.With our continuing focus oncommunity education and training,I completed Cert. IV in WorkplaceAssessment and Training enablingme to deliver an accredited trainingprogram developed by VictoriaUniversity and the EpilepsyFoundation of Victoria. (CHCCS6C“Assess and deliver services toclients with complex needs” fromthe Community Services TrainingPackage CHC02). Delivery of thisprogram has further enhanced thestanding of Epilepsy ACT withinthe disability sector. In addition,professional qualifications in SolutionOriented Counselling have given depthto our counselling services.In 2003 Epilepsy ACT became aninaugural member of The JointEpilepsy Council of Australia (JECA)and I have held the Chair since 2006.During this time JECA has conductedAustralia’s largest nationwide surveyof people with epilepsy and madethe first agreed submission to theFederal Government from the epilepsymovement in the last 20 years.After Russell Pollard and I lobbiedfor the submission, several politiciansincluding Labor’s Jill Hall MHR andthe National’s Mark Coulten MHRhave taken the lead in forming theParliamentary Friends of Epilepsygroup. This can only augur well for theepilepsy movement in Australia.I am proud to be part of the JECA andEpilepsy Australia team as we are allworking together to achieve the bestoutcomes for people with epilepsy.“THE EPILEPSY REPORT MAY 200831