The Department of Ageing, Disability & Home Care (DADHC) is one of the largest human services organisations in NSW employing over 13,000 staff. In 2007-08 we spent $1.9 billion to provide services and support to many thousands of people and families.

Our key clients are older people, people with a disability and their carers who require services and support in areas such as:

• early intervention, skill development, therapy, and community participation
• respite and support for carers
• advocacy and information,
• personal assistance, intensive in-home support
• supported accommodation in the community and in specialist facilities

We also oversee a number of services that target the 'well aged' population in general, such as the Seniors Information Service, the administration of the Seniors Card scheme, NSW Seniors Week events and the Premier's Gala Concert Series.

We measure our success against two key results areas:

1. Community support – ensuring that the ability of older people and people with a disability to live in their own home is maximised
2. Specialist support – providing services to ensure people with ongoing intensive support needs are living in suitable accommodation and participating in the community.

In 2006, in recognition of the need for change in the disability service system, we launched Stronger Together: A new Direction in Disability Services 2006-2016. An additional $1.3 billion is being allocated in the first five years of Stronger Together. In the two years since implementation began:

• 10,000 additional disability service places have been created
• New types of services are being offered that respond to the individual needs of people and their families
• New programs and services are targeting groups of people for whom access has been an issue, such as young people in residential aged care, people with an acquired brain injury, children with autism, Aboriginal people and people with culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds
• Our service system places more emphasis on strengthening families, early intervention, skill development, age appropriate supports, and planning for the future.

Read more about DADHC