❓ A parliamentary question seeks clarification on the Disability Services Commission's process for diagnosing intellectual disability in children, including testing procedures, communication of results, and reasons for application rejection. The answer details the assessment process, testing requirements, and communication practices.
AnsweredQoN 2103Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
(1) What steps does the Disability Services Commission take to make a diagnosis that a child has an intellectual disability?
(2) How many tests are required to be undertaken to make a diagnosis that a child has an intellectual disability?
(3) How does the Disability Services Commission inform parents and the child of the outcomes of these tests and if they accepted or rejected a claim of intellectual disability?
(4) Does the Disability Services Commission use a phrase ‘must present clinically as intellectually disabled’ in its letters to families informing them of intellectual disabilities; and
(a) if so, what does this phrase mean?
(5) Does the Disability Services Commission explain in writing on what grounds and why an application for intellectual disability is rejected?
(2) How many tests are required to be undertaken to make a diagnosis that a child has an intellectual disability?
(3) How does the Disability Services Commission inform parents and the child of the outcomes of these tests and if they accepted or rejected a claim of intellectual disability?
(4) Does the Disability Services Commission use a phrase ‘must present clinically as intellectually disabled’ in its letters to families informing them of intellectual disabilities; and
(a) if so, what does this phrase mean?
(5) Does the Disability Services Commission explain in writing on what grounds and why an application for intellectual disability is rejected?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
20 April 2010
Responded by
Parliamentary Secretary representing the Minister for Disability Services
Response time
56 days
(1)
To be eligible for services provided by the Commission on the basis of intellectual disability a person must meet criteria specified by the internationally recognised 'American Association for Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities'.
Each person's referral to the Eligibility Team is evaluated by the Commission's Principal Eligibility Officer to determine whether or not the criteria has been met and the child meets residency requirements.
In cases where a person's eligibility appears equivocal the Principal Eligibility Officer will consult with other relevant professionals within the Commission or with professionals from the referring agency or elsewhere. In those cases where insufficient information is included with an application the Commission will, where possible, request the necessary information from other sources (e.g. Education Department or other agencies/service providers).
Where the necessary information cannot be obtained from existing sources the Commission will arrange for one of its own assessors to conduct an eligibility assessment and write a report which is then submitted to the Principal Eligibility Officer.
(2)
In most cases two standardised tests are required; a test of intelligence and a test of adaptive behaviour. Children under the age of five and a half years, or cases with specific medical conditions
may
be
accepted without formal testing if, in the opinion of the Principal Eligibility Officer, formal testing is not possible.
(3)
All applicants or their parents are advised by mail of the outcome of their application.
In those cases where one of the Commission's assessors conducted an assessment and submitted a written report a copy of the report is normally made available to the applicant/parents.
(4) Not in the form shown in the question.
The Commission may use the phrases 'clinical presentation must be consistent with an intellectual disability' or 'clinical presentation is inconsistent with an intellectual disability'.
(a) These phrases refer to the fact that a person may score low on IQ tests for many reasons such as fatigue, substance abuse, noncompliance, mental illness, emotional or behaviour disorders, language disorder and yet not have an intellectual disability.
(5) Yes. When advised of the outcome of their application, applicant's or their parents are advised of which of the criteria was not met.
Notice: This document is created or edited using unregistered or evaluation copy of rtLib valid for testing or development purposes only. To use it for productive or any other purposes please register it. You may purchase the license on
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To be eligible for services provided by the Commission on the basis of intellectual disability a person must meet criteria specified by the internationally recognised 'American Association for Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities'.
Each person's referral to the Eligibility Team is evaluated by the Commission's Principal Eligibility Officer to determine whether or not the criteria has been met and the child meets residency requirements.
In cases where a person's eligibility appears equivocal the Principal Eligibility Officer will consult with other relevant professionals within the Commission or with professionals from the referring agency or elsewhere. In those cases where insufficient information is included with an application the Commission will, where possible, request the necessary information from other sources (e.g. Education Department or other agencies/service providers).
Where the necessary information cannot be obtained from existing sources the Commission will arrange for one of its own assessors to conduct an eligibility assessment and write a report which is then submitted to the Principal Eligibility Officer.
(2)
In most cases two standardised tests are required; a test of intelligence and a test of adaptive behaviour. Children under the age of five and a half years, or cases with specific medical conditions
may
be
accepted without formal testing if, in the opinion of the Principal Eligibility Officer, formal testing is not possible.
(3)
All applicants or their parents are advised by mail of the outcome of their application.
In those cases where one of the Commission's assessors conducted an assessment and submitted a written report a copy of the report is normally made available to the applicant/parents.
(4) Not in the form shown in the question.
The Commission may use the phrases 'clinical presentation must be consistent with an intellectual disability' or 'clinical presentation is inconsistent with an intellectual disability'.
(a) These phrases refer to the fact that a person may score low on IQ tests for many reasons such as fatigue, substance abuse, noncompliance, mental illness, emotional or behaviour disorders, language disorder and yet not have an intellectual disability.
(5) Yes. When advised of the outcome of their application, applicant's or their parents are advised of which of the criteria was not met.
Notice: This document is created or edited using unregistered or evaluation copy of rtLib valid for testing or development purposes only. To use it for productive or any other purposes please register it. You may purchase the license on
http://www.rtlib.com
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