Should YOU Be Accessing the NDIS?

Danielle Lawson NDIS

After launching in July 2016, the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) has now been rolled out across many parts of Australia.

While many Australians with a disability now have their NDIS plans, there are still those who are unaware of the process involved, or are not sure where to start. For example, SBS reported earlier this year that people with different ethnic backgrounds are under-represented in the NDIS scheme.

“If people don’t know about the NDIS, they don’t access the NDIS. That’s the problem,” says Dwayne Cranfield, CEO of the National Disability Ethnic Alliance.

What is the NDIS?

The NDIS is an individual approach to funding for disabilities, created to give people more control and choice.

The NDIS enables eligible participants to develop a plan, in collaboration with a Local Area Coordinator. This plan outlines what they would like to achieve, without the limits formerly imposed by funding. It encourages participants to dream big.

It also gives participants and families more control. It allows them to choose who they work with. That may be Government or Community Organisations, or it may be registered external NDIS service providers such as Zest Care.

According to the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA), which administers the scheme, once the NDIS is fully instituted,

“people with disabilities will have the reasonable and necessary supports that enable a fuller participation in our society and economy.”

Who Can Access the NDIS?

There are key criteria for accessing the NDIS. You must:

  • Have a disability which is permanent or likely to be permanent

To be eligible your disability may be a physical disability – for example, you may need assistance with activities of daily living, accessing the community, participating in social or civic activities. It may also be another form of disability such as psychiatric, neurological, cognitive, intellectual or sensory.

A diverse range of disabilities are covered by the NDIS, including any condition that restricts a person’s mental, sensory or mobility functions.

  • It may also be that you need some Supports now to reduce your Support needs in the future (Early Intervention)

To access the NDIS early intervention Supports, you/your child needs to have an impairment that is likely to be lifelong, or be a child under 6 with a developmental delay which means you/your child needs more assistance than another child of a similar age.

NDIS Early Intervention Supports are additional to those provided by Health and Education services and are designed to reduce or stop the impact of a condition.

You Must Also:

  • Have Australian Residency
  • Be under 65 years of age
  • Live in an area where the NDIS is available

Click here for the full NDIS access checklist.

Zest Care is a registered NDIS provider working across Sydney and Regional NSW. Our professional and experienced disability workers understand the NDIS and are already assisting over 300 clients.

We can assist you in meeting your goals. If you haven’t yet applied for the NDIS, please contact us today and we will guide you through the process, as well as the ways in which we can assist you.

Resources:

https://www.ndis.gov.au/about-us.html https://www.ndis.gov.au/html/sites/default/files/NDIA_Corporate_Plan_2016_2021_(accessible).pdf https://www.ndis.gov.au/ecei Https://www.everyaustraliancounts.com.au/about-ndis/