Resources for people with disability

TEXT: Covid19

Disability Liaison Officer (DLO) program

The Disability Liaison Officer (DLO) program aims to help more people with disability access health services, including:

  • COVID-19 testing
  • COVID-19 vaccination
  • advice and prevention through linking people to other health supports.
      

DLOs help with:

  • providing advice to vaccine and testing sites on how to improve access for people with disability
  • promotion to assist more people in the disability community get the COVID-19 vaccine
  • assisting service providers or groups of people with disability to make group bookings

If someone is unable to get tested, make a booking or get vaccinations via their usual support networks, DLOs can provide assistance for those that are unable to make suitable arrangements.

To contact a DLO for support, complete the Request for Disability Liaison Officer Support online form.
If you have difficulty using this form you can ask someone to do it on your behalf. Using the form is the fastest way to get support as it enables you to provide all the information that is needed.

If you can’t use the form you can email: DLOcoordinator@dhhs.vic.gov.au with your details.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who can DLOs support?
DLOs can support:

  • NDIS participants
  • people with a disability holding government issued letters of eligibility for vaccines, and
  • people eligible for vaccination according to the Commonwealth Vaccines Eligibility Checker


What information do I need to give to a DLO to get help?
The best way to request support is to complete this easy online form: Request for Disability Liaison Officer Support.

If you have difficulty using this form you can ask someone to do it on your behalf. Using the form is the fastest way to get support as it enables you to provide all the information that is needed. You can print or save a copy of the form after you have submitted it if you want to.  If you can’t use the form you can email: DLOcoordinator@dhhs.vic.gov.au with your details.

For further information visit: https://www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/disability-liaison-officers

Social Stories and Visual Support

Social scripts are story-based strategies using images and descriptions to explain new experiences and social environments. They provide people with disability with an opportunity to prepare themselves for their vaccination or COVID test and reduce anxiety. Thesea re also useful for children.

Amaze, in partnership with National Disability Services, have developed social scripts that outlines the process of getting a COVID-19 vaccination to people with autism. While the social scripts have been developed for autistic people, anyone who is feeling anxious about the process of getting a COVID-19 vaccination can use and benefit from the resources.

 

Autism Spectrum Australia have developed a Visual Support, which  breaks down the steps to taking a Rapid Antigen Test.