National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS)
The NDIS and NDIS Providers Help Disabled Australians Access the Health and Support Services They Need
What is the National Disability Insurance Scheme?
The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is a new system for providing support for disabled Australians. Unlike the older services, which were standardised and provided few individualised services, the NDIS provides consumer choice and control. Under the new system, you can choose your own NDIS provider and create a person-centred plan for the support and resources you need.
The NDIS was launched in 2013 and rolled out through 2020. It now includes approximately $22 billion in funding for an estimated 500,000 eligible Australians. By offering choice and individualisation, the new system provides better support for people who need it.
Who Manages the NDIS?
The NDIS is overseen and implemented by the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA). The agency was created in 2013 for the purpose of rolling out the NDIS reform. Today, the NDIA is responsible for identifying what services can be funded, setting eligibility criteria, and determining eligibility for individuals who apply.
At the local level, however, the NDIS is coordinated by local partners. There are two types of local partners who coordinate and manage services for eligible Australians with disabilities.
For children who are disabled and are age 6 or younger, NDIS services are coordinated by an Early Childhood Early Intervention partner (NCEI). ECEI agencies hire coordinators who help children and their families access NDIS support and community resources.
For children age 7 and above and for adults, NDIS support is coordinated by a Local Area Coordination partner (LAC). These agencies employ LAC coordinators who help older children, teens, and adults access NDIS services and community resources.
Who is Eligible for NDIS Funding?
NDIS is for Australians with disabilities who need support that they can’t receive through other government or community funding. There are several criteria you must meet to be eligible.
First, you must be an Australian citizen or permanent visa holder, and you must be under age 65. If you are older than 65, you may be able to qualify for Aged Care funding instead.
Second, you must have a “permanent and significant disability” that affects your daily life and requires outside support. Your disability can be physical, intellectual, sensory, cognitive, or psychosocial. For more detailed eligibility information, and to find out if you are eligible, explore the official NDIS eligibility checklist.
Once you’ve identified thatyou may be eligible, applying for NDIS support is simple. You can call the NDIA at 1800 800 110 and make a verbal Access Request, or you can fill out and email theAccessRequest Form to NAT@ndis.gov.au. You’ll also need to provide supporting documents proving your age, residency, and disability status.
If you need help applying, you can find a local NDIA office or yourclosest Local Area Coordination partner through the NDIS website.
What Services Are Eligible for NDIS Support?
NDIS funding can help pay for any necessary and reasonable support related to your disability through a registered NDIS provider like The CareSide. The only requirements are that the support must be related to your disability, that it can’t be part of the ordinary, everyday costs of living (like groceries), and that it can’t be eligible for funding from a different government service or community resource. It can’t be used to replace income except in special circumstances, and it can’t be used for any purposes that could cause harm or risk to you or others.
Your NDIS funding can pay for a variety of support, ranging from simple services like house cleaning or meal preparation to one-time purchases such as wheelchairs or home modifications. When your eligibility is approved, you’ll work with your Local Area Coordinator to identify what types of support and NDIS registered services you need and to set your budget.
How to Get NDIS Funding
Once you have determined that you’re eligible for NDIS Funding, you’ll need to make an access request. To receive funds, you’ll need to fill out and submit an access request form. If you need help filling it out or making a call for more information, your local NDIA office can provide assistance.
Your NDIS funding provides you choices and control. It’s person-centred, which means the focus is on your individual needs and growth. Unlike older systems, which were more standardised in the support you could receive, NDIS gives you a budget and offers you flexibility in how you spend your funding. The goal is both to provide ongoing support and to increase your capacity and your independence.
There are three areas of your NDIS budget: Core Support, Capacity Building, and Capital Support. Each area includes different categories, or support clusters. Each area has a slightly different purpose, but all of them combine to help you achieve your goals.
How Can I Avoid a Gap in Care?
In order to avoid having a gap in care when you switch providers, it’s important to understand what cessation day means. Your cessation day is the day your care with your old provider officially ends, but you will not receive care from your old provider on that day.
Your start date is the day when your new care begins, and it must be either on or after cessation day: you aren’t allowed to have a time period when your two care providers overlap. However, if your start day is later than your cessation day, then you will have a time period when you aren’t receiving care.
In order to avoid that gap, schedule your start day to be the same date as your cessation day. Make sure you understand the terms of service, and especially the requirements for notice, with your old provider, as well as the start availability of your new provider, before you finalize a date or use your referral code. Then, schedule your old provider to end care on the same day your new provider begins.
What is the Core Support Budget?
Your NDIS Core Support budget is funding dedicated to meeting your core needs on an ongoing basis.
It’s the most flexible part of your budget, and funding that’s set for one category can often be switched to a different category within Core Support as your needs change.
There are four categories in your Core Support budget:
1
This includes items related to your disability that you need to purchase regularly, such as continence aids.
2
This includes services and items that support your activities of daily living, such as a housecleaning service or meal preparation.
3
This includes support for your social activities that help you participate in your community, such as a support worker to accompany you on outings
4
This category helps you with transportation if your disability means you can’t drive or use public transit. This category is the least flexible, and funds dedicated to it can’t be used in other categories.
What is the Capacity Building Budget?
The Capacity Building budget is the second area of your NDIS budget. This part of your budget is less flexible than Core Support, and funding can’t be moved from one category to another. Your budget defines how much you can spend in each category.
The main purpose of your Capacity Building budget is to help you achieve your goals. This support is designed to build your skills and provide training that will increase your independence.
There are eight categories in your Capacity Building Budget:
- Support Coordination. This funding provides you a Support Coordinator who helps you plan and access the resources and services you need.
- Improved Life Choices. This category helps you manage your support and services.
- Improved Daily Living. This includes therapy, resources, and training that will help you become more independent.
- Finding and Keeping a Job. This includes assessments, counseling, and skill building to help you gain and keep employment.
- Improved Health and Wellness. This can include resources to offer advice on exercise, diet, and nutrition.
- Improved Living Arrangements. This support helps you find and stay in a home that’s appropriate for your disability.
- Improved Learning. This funding provides education and training after school, including university.
- Improved Relationships. This helps you build social skills and improve your relationships with family and your community.
- Increased Social and Community Participation. This offers training and skills that help you participate in social and community activities.
What is the Capital Support Budget?
There are just two categories of the Capital Support budget:
- Assistive Technology. This funding can pay for aids like a wheelchair, hearing aids, or assistive software.
- Home Modifications. This category is for changes to your home that are required for your disability, such as ramps and rails.
NDIS Disability Services Offered by The CareSide
Once you’ve secured your funding, you can choose which NDIS provider you want for each type of support you receive. The CareSide offers the best value for NDIS support, with highly trained support workers, no administrative fees, and a money-back guarantee.
We offer a variety of NDIS services that can be included in your support plan budget, including the following:
Support coordination for capacity building, which includes a dedicated coordinator with resources to help you plan what services and schedule you need, especially during a time of transition or to meet a specific goal for independence or life change.
Daily living support for both core support and capacity building, including services such as housecleaning, meal preparation, and personal care; as well as training and skill building to increase your independence with the activities of daily living. We also offer respite support for daily living activities, which provides short-term support to give a break to family carers.
Communication support for capacity building, including training in Auslan, tactile interpreting, and Braille for both you and your family or carers.
Social and community support for core support and capacity building, including employment assistance and training as well as both ongoing and skill-building support for community, social, and recreational activities.
Specialists for core support and capacity building, which includes specialists who help you develop behavioral skills or provide continuous support for complex needs.
Therapy for core support and capacity building, which includes therapy for developmental or ongoing needs.
Ready to get started? Contact us to learn about The CareSide NDIS services and how we can provide affordable, person-centred care to help you achieve the life you want.