Get the latest news here

BLOGS

 

All About the NDIS

Posted by: Hurdle Customer Service
Last Updated: April 29, 2022

The NDIS – National Disability Insurance Scheme – provides funding to an estimated 500,000 Australians who have a permanent and significant disability. Over the next few weeks, Hurdle will breakdown the Scheme and provided you with vital information about accessing the NDIS, the supports it can provide, information about planning meetings and reviews. 

Key Information @ the NDIS

  1. What does it mean?
TerminologyWhat does it mean?
NDISNational Disability Insurance Scheme
NDIANational Disability Insurance Agency – the organisation responsible for the NDIS
NDSNational Disability Services
NDIS CommissionNew Commonwealth agency created to improve the quality and safety of NDIS supports and services. 
LACLocal Area Coordinator – from the Brotherhood of St Lawrence; conduct planning meetings
ATAssistive Technology – equipment funded by NDIS
DSSDepartment of Social Services
FaHCSIADepartment of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs
NATNational Access Team – decision makers at NDIS
Access Request FormA form used to make a request to become a participant of the NDIS. 
Choice and ControlA participant has the right to make their own decisions about what is important to them and to decide how they would like to receive their supports and from who. 
Formal SupportsAre supports a person pays for.
Informal SupportsSupports participants get from people around them. Ie. Family, friends, neighbours. 
Mainstream ServicesThe government systems providing services to Australians. Ie. Health, education, justice, housing and employment services. 
ProviderAn organisation who has products or services to help participants pursue their goals. 
Reasonable and necessaryReasonable means something fair and necessary means something you must have. The NDIS funds reasonable and necessary supports relating to a person’s disability to help them live an ordinary life.
Registered ProviderAn organisation that has met the NDIS requirements for qualifications, approvals, experience, capacity and quality standards to provide a product or service. 
Self-Management (funding)Participants manage all or part of their NDIS funding; making payments for their supports.
Service AgreementA contract between the participant and the service provider they have chosen to deliver their supports. 
Plan Managed (funding)Participants choose a third-party accredited plan manager to take care of their funding and make payments to their service providers. 
Agency Managed (funding)Participant funding is managed by the NDIA, who then make payments to a participant’s providers. 
  1. What supports and services can the NDIS fund?

The NDIS funds a range of supports and services, which include education, employment, social participation, independence, housing, and health and wellbeing. The supports must be reasonable and necessary and:

  • Must be related to your permanent disability. 
  • Must not include day-to-day living costs; such as groceries or medication.
  • Should represent value for money. 
  • Must be effective and work for you. 
  • Should take into account support you get from other government services, your family, carers and the community. 
  1. Do I need to be on the Disability Support Pension to get NDIS?

No. The Disability Support Pension (DSP) is separate to the NDIS. If you are receiving the DSP, is does not mean you are automatically eligible for the NDIS. You will need to check your eligibility and apply. You may be eligible to receive NDIS funding and not receive the DSP. 

  1. What type of supports are funded by NDIS?

To help you understand who funds the different services, we’ve broken key areas down and listed the funding contributions made by the NDIS against the funding provided by government systems and services.

EDUCATION
NDIS Funds:Government education systems fund:
Self-care at school related to the student’s disability, such as assistance with eating. Specialised training of teachers about the specific personal support needs of a student with disability. Speciality transport required because of the student’s disability. Transportable equipment such as a wheelchair or communication devices. Teachers and other supports such as Auslan interpreters. General support, resources and training for teachers. Aids and equipment to make curriculums accessible.Adjustments to buildings such as ramps and loops. Transport for educational activities such as excursions. Day-to-day supervision of students at school. 
HEALTH
NDIS Funds:Public health systems fund:
Home modifications, personal care and development of skills to help a person become more independent. Allied health services – such as occupational therapist, speech therapist and physiotherapy. Prosthetics and artificial limbs (not including surgery).Therapeutic and behavioural supports for people with psychosocial disability.  Diagnosis and assessment of health conditions. Medication, medical and dental services and treatments, hospital care, surgery and rehabilitation. Clinical care for mental health conditions. Planning and preparation for a patient to return home after a hospital stay. General hearing and vision not related to a person’s disability (eg. Eye glasses)  
EMPLOYMENT
NDIS Funds:Employers and employment services fund:
Personal care for people at work who need support. Ie. Assistance with personal care or eating. Aids and equipment such as wheelchairs or communication devices. Transition-to-work support beyond what is reasonable for an employer to provide, such as training to build skills to travel, relationships with teammates, communication and employment skills. Supports to build work confidence and essential work skills. Ongoing on-the-job support.  Assistance for people to find and maintain employment – services by Disability Employment Services or Jobactive. Workplace-specific supports including building modifications, employment aids and equipment such as computers. Transport for work activities such as meetings.  
FAMILY
NDIS Funds:Community & government services fund:
Disability-specific supports due to the impact of disability. Disability-specific training for parents and carers who have a disability. Disability support in out-of-home care, including home modifications, equipment, therapies and skills to become more independent. Response to child protection issues. Information and awareness campaigns regarding child safety. Counselling, parenting skills programs and family relationship services. Out-of-home care including housing, care allowances and payments. Family and parenting payments. 
  1. What does NDIS mean about “choice and control”?

Eligible NDIS participants have the choice and the control over how they utilise their funded supports. This includes choice of how the supports are given and which service providers are used. Participants control, when and how services are delivered.

  1. What happens when you don’t meet the eligibility requirements?

People who are not eligible for the NDIS can still get help to access community and other government services. These include:

  • Aged Care
  • Public transport services
  • Child protection and family support services
  • Justice system
  • Office of Public Housing
  • Department of Education 
  • Health Systems – hospitals and health centres, doctors and health professionals (GPs), medicines and treatments through Medicare. 

For further information on NDIS, contact Paula Oliva on 0466 213 362 or via email paula@hurdle.support. 

Your Details

Subscribe to
Hurdle News