A significant change is underway for disability support services in Western Australia as Anglicare WA has announced it will withdraw from the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). This decision will affect dozens of individuals and staff members in the Perth, Peel, South West, and Great Southern regions. The organization will close its Bridges Disability Service, which has been providing support to people with disabilities for over 20 years.

Anglicare WA's chief executive, Mark Glasson, stated that the Bridges service has been operating at a loss for the past four years. He attributed this financial strain to rising costs and increased demand for services. "We've been working in disability in the Great Southern and parts of the South West for more than 20 years now," Glasson said. "But what we've realized over the last few years is that we can no longer do that with any sense of certainty or viability. We can't afford it. The costs have been escalating."

The Bridges service, which operates in Collie, Rockingham, Katanning, and Albany, provides essential support to individuals living with disabilities and their families. Currently, the service supports 89 NDIS participants across these four locations, with the following breakdown: 31 in Collie, 21 in Rockingham, 19 in Katanning, and 18 in Albany.

The closure of Anglicare WA's service is not an isolated incident. Last month, Therapy Focus announced it had entered voluntary administration, and in August, Forrest Personnel revealed it would cease operations after nearly 40 years of service.

Glasson emphasized that while participants will be assisted in transitioning to other services, the closure may result in job losses for staff. "We have just under 90 participants we're working with [across the four sites] and unfortunately more than 80 staff," he said. "What happens now is we work with people to find opportunities for them, and part of the process is we look at redeployment opportunities. Our commitment is that no one goes unsupported. We will not leave someone high and dry."

The NDIS has been contacted for further comment regarding the situation. As the landscape of disability support services continues to shift, many individuals and families are left seeking new avenues for assistance.