Q. What is the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS)?
A. The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is a national scheme designed to improve disability services in Australia.
The scheme will provide people with disability, their families and carers more choice and control in their decision making through a new way of funding individualised support.
What this means is that rather than funding going directly to service providers such as Yooralla, it goes to the person with a disability and the funding allocated for supports align with the person’s goals.
Once the scheme is fully rolled out, the NDIS is anticipated to provide funding to approximately 460 000 Australians.
Q. What is the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA)?
A. The National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) has been appointed to oversee the implementation of the NDIS.
Staff from the NDIA will work to provide people with disability and their families and carers, information on how the scheme will work and what resources are available to them.
The NDIA staff will also work with individuals to:
- discuss individual goals and support needs
- develop an individual plan for the funded support needed to achieve goals
- consider the supports needed to strengthen family and informal caring arrangements
- connect people to mainstream services and community supports.
Q. How does someone find out if they are eligible?
A. NDIS funding through a tool called My Access Checker.
This tool has been designed to help people with permanent and significant disability understand whether they may be able to access assistance from the NDIS during the trial period.
For information on eligibility, please visit the NDIS website or contact the National Disability Insurance Agency on 1800 800 110.
Q. What services and supports will the NDIS provide?
A. The National Disability Insurance Scheme will provide funding for ‘reasonable and necessary’ support, services and equipment.
The supports and services provided should assist a person to:
- do things independently
- participate in the community
- access educational opportunities
- get a job and earn a wage
- achieve goals
- develop skills for daily living.
Q. What happens if someone is not eligible?
A. The NDIS has a commitment to continuity of support arrangements for those currently accessing disability services and support.
There are internal and independent review processes for participants in the NDIS who want to appeal decisions made by the agency or make a complaint about service.
Please visit the NDIS website or contact the National Disability Insurance Agency on 1800 800 110 for more information.
Q. Can supports within a person’s plan be changed?
A. Yes, the NDIA understand that supports in a person’s plan may need to be revisited and amended to enable the person to achieve their personal goals. A review can be requested at any time during the life of a plan. It is always best however to be as prepared as possible to make sure a plan reflects the need of each individual.
Q. What tools will the agency use to help them develop a plan?
A. The NDIA use a range of tools to assist with the assessment and planning process.
The planner will use a range of tools to identify support needs necessary to make progress on goals and aspirations.
Yooralla has developed an Planning with the NDIA - Preparation and Planning tool to help people to think about what support they currently access, what goals they have and what support might be needed. This includes paid support, informal support and funding for capital costs such as equipment or modifications.