The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) can be a bit confusing to understand, especially to someone who is new to the scheme. The aim of this article is to help you navigate the NDIS whether it’s learning what is the NDIS, who is eligible for NDIS, gain access to the NDIS, understand types of NDIS funding you may get, understand the difference in fund management, your plan, and accessing services.
What is the NDIS?
The NDIS is a support system made by the Australian Government, to give individuals with a permanent or significant disability the support they need. The types of supports provided by the NDIS will be different for everyone that falls under the scheme.
Who is Eligible for NDIS?
For someone to access the NDIS, the must meet these requirements:
Age: Must be under 65 years old at the time of application.
Residency: An Australian citizen, permanent resident, or have a Protected Special Category Visa.
Disability: Have a permanent and significant disability that affects your ability to do everyday activities. Evidence of this will be best provided by your treating health professional.
Early Intervention: Early intervention support may be accessible to reduce future needs of support.
How Do You Get on the NDIS?
Getting onto the NDIS can be a timely but worthwhile task. If you and your treating health professionals believe that you meet the above criteria for the NDIS, you should apply.
To access the NDIS, you must fill out the NDIS Access Request form. You are best to apply with the assistance of a Local Area Coordinator (LAC). LACs can help you understand and put together your NDIS application. Any supporting documentation made by your treating health professionals will greatly help your chances of gaining access to the NDIS.
What does the NDIS fund?
Every NDIS participant will be given their NDIS plan upon joining the scheme. Your NDIS plan will detail the categories of funding available to you based on your goals. The three main types of funding will be Core Supports, Capacity Building Supports, and Capital Supports.
Core Supports: This category of supports is used for daily living in the following areas:
- Assistance with Daily Life: Completing daily tasks such as Personal Care, gardening, cleaning, and other in-home supports.
- Assistance with Social and Community Participation: Support in engaging in social and community activities.
- Transport: Funding that will be deposited into your account to be used to catch transport.
- Consumables: To cover any low-cost assistive technology, continence products, and equipment to improve your independence.
Capital Supports: These supports are used for high-cost items or modifications. Most of the time to use the funding within this category you will be required to submit quotes and reports supporting your need for:
- Assistive Technology: Any equipment for furthering your independence in mobility, personal care, communication, as well as inclusion.
- Home Modifications: Improvements in your place of living to make it more accessible and user-friendly.
Capacity Building Supports: This category of funding is used to improve your overall independence which includes:
- Increased Social and Community Participation: Help with building social skills.
- Support Coordination: Helping to manage anything to do with your NDIS plan and connecting to providers.
- Improved Living Arrangements: Help in finding suitable accommodation.
- Finding and Keeping a Job: Assistance in obtaining and maintaining a job.
- Improved Relationships: Forming and maintaining relationships.
- Improved Health and Wellbeing: Improving physical mobility and wellbeing.
- Improved Learning: Help in education or skill training.
- Improved Life Choices: Used by the plan manager to manage the funds in your plan.
- Improved Daily Living: Services delivered by health professionals.
How Should I Have My Funds Managed?
In addition to getting your NDIS Plan, you will also have to chose how you would like to have your funds managed. Currently there are three options available for managing your NDIS plan.
- NDIA Managed: This means the NDIA will manage and hold your funds. Choosing this option will restrict you to only seeing NDIS-registered providers.
- Plan Managed: This option will allow you to choose a third-party organization to hold and manage your funds.
- Self-Managed: This allows you to hold and manage your funds. Each invoice will be submitted to you to pay from your NDIS plan.
Choosing any option isn’t permanent and can be changed in the future, so you don’t need to worry too much about which option you choose.
How Do I Access Support Services?
If you have a Support Coordinator that helps you with your NDIS Plan, they are the best person to get in contact with to access support services. Alternatively, there are plenty of support services available to NDIS participants. All you have to do is get in touch with their admin team to create a Service Agreement for the services you’d like to receive.
At Meta Healthcare, we provide Disability support services such as Support Work, Support Coordination, and Allied Health. Should you need any further information, feel free to contact us here or call us on (02) 4072 4075.