Project Title: Targeted Health Initiatives for Country People with Developmental Disability Researchers: Associate Professor Robert Davis Dr. Teresa Iacono Professor John Humphreys Mr. Neale Chandler Funding: Rural Support Education & Training, Commonwealth Department of Health & Aged Care Executive Summary: Project Aims The aims of the project, Targeted Health Initiatives for Country People with Developmental Disability were: 1. To provide support, education and training to carers and professionals who interface with treatment and care of people with developmental disability in rural and remote communities. 1.1 Increase skills and thereby build the capacity of health service providers to meet the needs of people with developmental disability in rural areas 1.2 Provide ongoing support to health service providers and consumers, through a relationship with CDDHV that extends beyond the period of the project. 2. To provide mechanisms for people with developmental disability living in rural and remote communities to access local and metropolitan-based health care services and resources. These aims were addressed through liaison with key stakeholders in target rural towns within the Loddon-Mallee (Victoria), the Riverland (South Australia) and the Riverina (NSW) regions and engaging them in project activities. Context Recent Commonwealth Government initiatives have targeted rural health care needs, including problems in attracting and retaining health care professionals, in particular GPs, shortages in allied health services, and reduced hospital facilities. Problems in health care are exacerbated for people with developmental disability because of lack of expertise among health care providers and potential attitudinal barriers, as well as these individuals’ inability to independently access services. Project Activities Recruitment Page 1 of 5