Hundreds of families in limbo after long-standing provider ends disability services amid financial issues

Ella Cassidy always dreamed of having a place to call her own.

It became a reality for the 34-year-old, who has Down syndrome and autism, when she joined Centacare's HAND Social and Life Skills Hub on Brisbane's northside five years ago.

The program offers a range of activities and classes including cooking lessons, acting and theatre work, and computer and woodworking sessions.

Ella, who has Down syndrome and autism, joined Centacare's HAND Social and Life Skills Hub five years ago. (ABC News: Mark Leonardi)

Her mother Meredith Coyle said it had been life-changing.

"She can cook, she can clean, she can shop … she has learnt real life skills that she can bring home and use in everyday life," Ms Coyle said.

"But the most amazing thing she's done there is join the drama group RAD (Real and Diverse) … they performed at QPAC, they did three performances there.

Ella has performed at QPAC as part of the Centacare supported inclusive theatre ensemble known as RAD (Real and Diverse Theatre). (Supplied)

"She's a shy person but through that performance, she really blossomed."

Now, she is about to lose access to these services.

Services closure 'out of the blue'

Centacare, the social services agency of the Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane, last week announced it would cease its NDIS-funded disability services in south-east Queensland by mid-November.

This includes the organisation's Supported Independent Living services, medium and short-term accommodation, Onsite Shared Support services, disability Social and Life Skills Hubs, NDIS-funded home support and community and Disability Support for Older Australians services.

Centacare has decided to end its NDIS-funded disability services by the end of the year. (ABC News: Mark Leonardi)

More than 700 services and 600 staff from the southern Gold Coast, north to Hervey Bay and west to Kingaroy and Gatton, are expected to be impacted.

Ms Coyle said the news "knocked their socks off".

"It came out of the blue, we had no prior warning that this might happen," Ms Coyle said.

Meredith Coyle says the news Centacare's disability services would be discontinued "knocked their socks off". (ABC News: Mark Leonardi)

"They've given 90 days' notice for these programs to be closed which will bring us to mid-November, that's in the middle of the Christmas rush when programs are already closing.

"Three months is not a long time to find new services and of course, there'll be less to go around now."

Financial challenges 'too great'

The agency declined an interview with the ABC, but in a statement, Centacare council chair Vanessa Sullivan said an independent review found providing the services was no longer "financially sustainable".

"This has been a very difficult decision, we have been committed to exceptional care in disability services for more than 40 years," Ms Sullivan said.

Centacare has provided disability services for 40 years, and council chair Vanessa Sullivan says they are "very sorry" to leave the field. (ABC News: Mark Leonardi)

"When it became clear that the financial challenges were becoming too great, Centacare commissioned a thorough independent review that confirmed our concerns around the current model.

"With a new CEO and a refreshed senior leadership team now in place, we are focused on the future and deeply committed to the growth and delivery of the many critical services we provide."

Centacare will continue to offer aged care, family and relationship care and community and pastoral care services. It will also continue to operate Catholic Early EdCare.

Care transferred

In a separate statement, Archbishop Mark Coleridge said the "painful decision" was due to "mounting challenges in the NDIS environment".

"We will accompany every client, family, carer and guardian to ensure there is no gap in their support and that each transition is handled with sensitivity and respect," Archbishop Coleridge said.

"We will also stand with our staff who have borne the burden of this mission for decades … we will … explore every possible redeployment and honour their rights."

Meredith says she doesn't have the funding to get one-on-one support for Ella. (ABC News: Mark Leonardi)

The organisation said it was in discussions with other trusted disability care providers to help transition to new arrangements and has offered clients information on how to best transfer their care.

Ms Coyle said she doesn't have the funding to get one-on-one support for Ella.

"Ella has been part of other programs; they're nothing like what this provides … I just don't know what we're going to do," Ms Coyle said.

"[And] she really struggles with change … for her to have to move somewhere else will be really difficult."

Meredith believes Centacare's program is unique and moving elsewhere will be "really difficult". (ABC News: Mark Leonardi)

Constrained market

Advocates say NDIS service providers across the country, especially not-for-profits, are struggling to remain sustainable due to rising costs and pricing structure changes.

Matthew Hall, the Australian Federation of Disability Organisations (AFDO) manager of systemic policy and advocacy, said the loss of a single provider can have a "significant impact" on the "very constrained" market.

"People are already on long waiting lists for months to get services," Mr Hall said.

"Recent pricing decisions taken by the NDIA (National Disability Insurance Agency) and the general economy [has seen] a lot of providers struggling to make their services viable."

"That's having a significant impact on the health and wellbeing and the stress levels of the participants that they're servicing."

Children and Young People with Disability Australia chief executive Sonia Regan said the "minimising" of disability services was concerning.

Sonia Regan says the minimising of disability services is a concern. (ABC News: Guido Salazar)

"When we start to see providers pulling out of communities, particularly in areas where there are not a lot of options, it does limit the choices for children and young people and their families," Ms Regan said.

"It therefore leaves them in a situation where they can't have their needs met and they are actually disadvantaged by that."

Ms Regan said some young people with disability could fall through the cracks.

Sonia Regan says the closing of services could see some young people with disability "fall through the cracks". (ABC News: Mark Leonardi)

"If children and young people are unable to find services or access services that will meet their needs that will help them achieve their best possible outcomes … then absolutely, that becomes a concern," Ms Regan said.

"As we approach the two-year anniversary of the final report from the disability royal commission, it's a really good opportunity to reflect on what has been implemented … and what remains to be implemented.

"There's still a lot … we're waiting to see action on."

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Written by: Ciara Jones, ABC News.