MEDIA RELEASE

Assembly Health and Wellbeing Committee to conduct an inquiry and review of current health assessment programs in the ACT for children and young people

Johnathan Davis MLA, Chair of the Standing Committee on Health and Community Wellbeing today announced the Committee’s decision to commence a new inquiry.

Mr Davis said that the Committee has decided to undertake a review of all aspects of current screening and health assessment programs and processes in the ACT for hearing, vision, speech, motor-skill difficulties, and general health of children and young people;

Included in this review are two particular matters:

The Terms of reference for the inquiry are attached to this release.

The Committee will now invite submissions to the inquiry and will announce a hearing program in the near future.

The Committee will be inviting all stakeholders, practitioners, therapists and agencies involved in this important area of children’s and young people’s health, and will ensure that invitations for submissions and view form organisations affected and contributing to these areas of health can put their views and experiences to the Committee

All Canberrans are invited to have their say on this important matter.

Written submissions are invited on the inquiry by cob Friday, 4 June 2021.

The Committee will present its report to the Assembly by the end of November 2021.

The Committee’s terms of reference are available on the Legislative Assembly website at: https://www.parliament.act.gov.au/parliamentary-business/in-committees/committees/hcw/inquiry-on-current-review-of-act-health-programs-for-children-and-young-people#tab1733017-1id

Information about how to make a submission is available at: Participate in public inquiries.

30 March 2021

STATEMENT ENDS.

For further information please contact:

Committee Chair, Johnathan Davis MLA on (02) 620 50015

Committee Secretary, Andrew Snedden on (02) 620 50199 or at LACommitteeHCW@parliament.act.gov.au

Terms of Reference

Review of ACT Health programs for children and young people

  1. That the Standing Committee on Health and Community Wellbeing inquire into programs in place in the ACT providing for children and young people to-assess the adequacy, availability, and implementation of the following:
    1. identify and review all aspects of current screening and health assessment programs and processes in the ACT for hearing, vision, speech, motor-skill difficulties, and general health of children and young people;
    2. identify and review in particular all aspects of current preventative programs and associated programs for screening, diagnosis, assessment and treatment in the ACT for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD);
    3. Identify and review current programs in the ACT providing services that address the support, treatment and assessment arising from diagnosis of anything requiring treatment in a) and b); and,
    4. any other relevant matters arising during the Committee’s inquiry.
  2. That, as part of its inquiry, the Committee report on the implementation of the National FASD Strategic Action Plan 2018-2028 (the National FASD plan) in the ACT.
  3. That the Committee report its findings to the Assembly by the end of November 2021.

30 March 2021