Request for Tender for the Provision of Cognitive Impairment Diversion Program - NGO Support Role

⁠⁠⁠Request for Tender (RFT) for Cognitive Impairment Diversion Program - NGO support role.

The NSW Department of Justice is conducting an open RFT for organisations with the capacity and experience to deliver a support service to defendants with cognitive impairment over 2 years.

Background
The roll out of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) across NSW presents an opportunity to better identify individuals with a significant and permanent cognitive disability and link them to appropriate disability supports. The criminal justice system provides a pathway by which defendants may be identified and assessed for cognitive impairment and assisted to access reasonable and necessary disability supports.

The Department has been developing its response to the NSW Law Reform Commission Report 135: People with cognitive and mental health impairments in the criminal justice system: Diversion. As part of this, it has been agreed between NSW Government agencies to pilot a diversion scheme for offenders with cognitive impairment in Local Court matters.

Scope
We are seeking to procure one non-government service (NGO) to deliver the support function of the Cognitive Impairment Diversion Program (CIDP) over 2 years. This procurement will involve funding to an existing NGO to assist defendants identified as having a cognitive impairment link with the NDIS and other mainstream supports.

The service will:
* Obtain referral for the defendant which includes a cognitive assessment report
* Liaise with the defendant and their solicitor around diversion orders and support service planning
* Link defendants into appropriate community–based support services
* Identify if they are already an NDIS participant and provide support to re-engage them with the scheme
* Assist defendant to prepare for the NDIS planning meeting
* Attend the NDIS planning meeting/s with the defendant and assist them to obtain a viable plan
* Support the defendant to engage with the treatment identified in their plan by linking them with the relevant service providers