The NDIS explained
The NDIS is a new way of providing people with a disability better choice & control on how they live their lives. Funded by the Federal Government, the NDIS provides individualised funding packages that people can use to purchase supports & equipment they need to achieve their goals & live a better life.
- National: The NDIS is being introduced progressively across all states and territories.
- Disability: The NDIS provides support to eligible people with intellectual, physical, sensory, cognitive and psychosocial disability. Early intervention supports can also be provided for eligible people with disability or children with developmental delay.
- Insurance: The NDIS gives all Australians peace of mind if they, their child or loved one is born with or acquires a permanent and significant disability, they will get the support they need.
- Scheme: The NDIS is not a welfare system. The NDIS is designed to help people get the support they need so their skills and independence improve over time.
How to access NDIS
To be eligible for NDIS, you must meet criteria that is set by NDIA. Infinity Care can assist and guide you about the process involved in accessing NDIS. If you are Australian citizen or permanent resident aged between 7 and 65 at the time of application, and answer to any one of the following question is yes, you may be eligible for NDIS.
- Do you usually need support from a person because of a permanent and significant disability?
- Do you use special equipment because of a permanent and significant disability?
- Do you need some supports now to reduce your future needs?
NDIS STEPS
Your eligibility for the NDIS will be assessed by the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA), the government body responsible for administering the NDIS.
If you are already receiving disability services and supports from a provider, the NDIA will have your details and will call you to discuss your NDIS plan and funding. You may go through a simplified eligibility process, based on the supports and services you currently receive.
If you are not currently receiving any disability supports, you will need to contact the NDIA in your area and complete an NDIS eligibility assessment. This will include assessing the impact of your disability on your functional capacity to communicate, interact socially, learn, move safely around your home and your community and manage your personal care and affairs.
Your health professionals, community and social workers, family and friends can support you to gather evidence to support your NDIS eligibility assessment.
You with the help of your family and friends need to complete the NDIS Access request from and submit to NDIA.
Think about your needs and goals. What currently works. what is currently missing? Below are the supports that are funded under NDIS.
- Therapeutic supports including behaviour support
- Help with household tasks to allow the participant to maintain their home environment
- Help with personal care and tasks associated with daily living
- Assistance to help you participation in community, social, economic and daily life activities
- Workplace help to allow a participant to successfully get or keep employment in the open or supported labour market
- Help to a participant by skilled personnel in aids or equipment assessment, set up and training
- Mobility equipment
- Vehicle modifications
If you are eligible for the NDIS, you will be invited to develop your personal plan by the NDIA. This meeting will assess the supports and services you need based on your goals and what you want to achieve in the future.
Your individual NDIS plan will be created outlining your goals, the supports and services you need to achieve these goals, and the funding you will receive. The NDIS can pay for supports that are reasonable and necessary for you. This means they are related to your disability and are required for you to live an ordinary life and achieve your goals.
Once your NDIS Plan is created, you will need to decide how you want to manage your providers and payments. You have four options:
- self-management – this means you manage the payment of providers and any administrative processes yourself.
- using a plan management service – this means you choose a business or provider to manage all payments on your behalf and assist you with service agreements, hiring staff and preparing reports about NDIS funding.
- nominating the NDIA – this means the NDIA makes all necessary payments to registered providers on your behalf.
a mix of self-managed and NDIA managed.
When your plan is approved you will be able to access it through the approved service provider.
When you are ready to access services and supports, you will be able to choose which service providers you want to work with you. The NDIA will be able to help you with this, or you can do your own research.
If you are already accessing supports from a service provider, such as Infinity Care, you can continue to work with this provider, as long as they are a registered NDIS provider.
After you have chosen a service provider, you and the provider will need to agree to and sign a service agreement.
The NDIA will review your NDIS Plan with you every 12 months to make sure you are getting the supports and services you need. Before your review, it is a good idea to think about what you have already achieved and anything new you wish to do or achieve in the future.
If you feel an arrangement with a service provider is not working as well as it could, you are able to change service providers at any stage – you do not need to wait until you review your plan.
