Published on 6 Oct 2025

Disability Liaison Officer Program Evaluation

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The Victorian Department of Health's Disability Liaison Officer Program transformed healthcare access for people with disability during and beyond the COVID-19 pandemic. Through rigorous analysis of service data, stakeholder engagement and cost-benefit assessment, we demonstrated that the project had a range of benefits for Victorians with disability, their families and carers, and Victoria’s health system.

Key Takeaways:

  • Our evaluation methodology combined quantitative service data analysis with stakeholder focus groups to provide robust evidence of the program's effectiveness in meeting all four intended outcomes.

  • The program played an important role beyond COVID-19 response, supporting sustainable improvements in healthcare accessibility across Victoria's health system.
Our findings provided the Department with a robust evidence base to support future funding decisions. Our evaluation clearly demonstrated there was an ongoing need for the DLO Program beyond the pandemic, that it was achieving its intended outcomes, and that it represented a highly efficient use of resources.

Undertaking a comprehensive lapsing program evaluation

When the COVID-19 pandemic emerged in 2020, the Victorian Government recognised that people with disability faced unique challenges in accessing healthcare. In response, Government committed $17 million to support Victorians with disability, including $2.6 million to establish Australia's first Disability Liaison Officer (DLO) Program. This innovative initiative placed dedicated officers in health services to improve accessibility and connect people with disability to supports close to home.

Two years later, as the program approached the end of its initial funding period, the Department needed robust evidence to inform decisions about its future. They engaged Allen + Clarke to undertake a comprehensive lapsing program evaluation to explore the DLO Program's impact and determine the continued role of government in its delivery and funding.

 

 

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Our Approach

Our approach leveraged our team's substantial experience in both government evaluations and disability sector policy reforms. 

We designed a comprehensive evaluation methodology that combined multiple data sources to build a complete picture of the program's effectiveness, efficiency and impact:

  • We analysed quantitative DLO service data to understand utilisation patterns, demographics and service types. 

  • We collated and examined qualitative feedback from existing service users to capture lived experience perspectives. 

  • We conducted targeted focus groups with DLOs, health service representatives, disability sector representatives, and government departments. 

  • We performed a detailed cost-benefit analysis to demonstrate the program's value for money. 

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Revealing compelling evidence of the Program’s success

Our evaluation revealed compelling evidence of the DLO Program's success. We found it was meeting each of its four intended outcomes and had made a significant positive difference to many Victorians with disability, their families and carers. The program had played a crucial role in Victoria's COVID-19 vaccination and testing response for people with disability, while simultaneously driving sustainable improvements across the health system.

These findings provided the Department with a robust evidence base to support future funding decisions. Our evaluation clearly demonstrated there was an ongoing need for the DLO Program beyond the pandemic, that it was achieving its intended outcomes, and that it represented an efficient use of resources.

Following this impactful evaluation, in 2025 we were invited to undertake another evaluation of the DLO Program, for the period July 2023 to June 2025.

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This project demonstrated how rigorous, evidence-based evaluation can directly influence government decision-making and secure continued support for programs that make a real difference in people's lives.

The Impact

The impact of our work extended far beyond the evaluation itself. Based on our findings, the Victorian Government committed a further $6.5 million over three years to continue delivering the program. 

This funding ensures ongoing access to vital healthcare for people with disability across Victoria, continued service delivery improvements that enhance healthcare accessibility and support for broader government health reform priorities through sustainable system change. 

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