Preparing for the NDIS Q&A Responses to June 2014 Webinar

www.ndis.gov.au

‘Preparing for the NDIS’

Q&A Responses to June 2014 webinar

Thank you for participating in the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) June 2014 webinar ‘Preparing for the NDIS’. We received many questions and comments. Thank you for providing your input and feedback.

The questions and comments received during the webinar have been grouped together into identified themes. For each theme we have provided responses and links to further information that is available on our website.

In most cases answers to the questions raised during the webinar can be found on our website. However, if you have unanswered questions or are unable to locate the relevant information on the website you can also contact us on 1800 800 110 or email us at . You can also use the Contact Form on the website.

General Scheme Info

Access to support under the NDIS

Access to support from the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is based on the degree a person's impairment impacts on their ability to participate in everyday life including education, work and in the community regardless of the diagnosis. The National Disability Insurance Scheme Act 2013 (NDIS Act) states that to be able to access support, someone must:

· Live in Australia as a permanent resident of Australia; and

· Be under 65 years of age; and

· Meet the disability requirements; and/or

· Meet the early intervention requirements.

There are some additional criteria that apply in each launch location during the first stage of the Scheme.

View more information about Access requirements.

Roll Out

The NDIS began being introduced in stages from July 2013. This is because it’s a big change, and we want to get it right and make it sustainable.

From 1 July 2013, the NDIS began in:

· Tasmania for young people aged 15-24

· South Australia for children aged 0-14, and

· the Barwon area of Victoria and the Hunter area in NSW for people up to age 65

From 1 July 2014, the NDIS will commence in the:

· ACT

· Barkly region of Northern Territory, and

· Perth Hills area of Western Australia.

Roll out of the full scheme in NSW, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, the ACT and the Northern Territory will commence progressively from July 2016

· View more information about the NDIS roll out.

Individual funding

Each participant in the Scheme will have an individualised plan which sets out their goals and aspirations; the disability supports (services and products) that will be funded by the NDIS, and other supports the person requires.

The NDIS funding for an individual is allocated to that individual, not to organisations or disability support providers. In effect, participants of the Scheme become ‘customers’ and will have a greater level of choice and control over the supports they receive, who provides them and how they are provided.

Reasonable and Necessary Support

The NDIS funds reasonable and necessary supports that help a participant to reach their goals, objectives and aspirations, and to undertake activities to enable the participant’s social and economic participation. A participant’s reasonable and necessary supports take into account any informal supports already available to the individual, including informal arrangements that are part and parcel of family life or natural connections with friends and community services as well as other formal supports, such as health and education.

Reasonable and necessary supports are funded by the NDIS to help a participant to reach their goals, objectives and aspirations in a range of areas, which may include education, employment, social participation, independence, living arrangements and health and wellbeing. These supports will help participants to:

· pursue their goals, objectives and aspirations

· increase their independence and

· increase social and economic participation, and

· develop their capacity to actively take part in the community.

A core principle in determining what supports are reasonable and necessary for the NDIS to fund is that the supports are not more appropriately funded by other systems, such as the (housing) system.

View more information about reasonable and necessary supports.

Context for determining ‘reasonable and necessary’ supports:

· assists the participant to pursue goals, objectives aspirations

· support social and economic participation

· value for money

· is (or likely to be) effective and beneficial

· beyond what is reasonable to expect families, carers, informal networks and the community to provide

· most appropriately funded by the NDIS (NDIS), not through other systems

Choice and Control

Participants of the Scheme determine how much control they want over management of their funding, supports and providers.

The Scheme gives effect to certain obligations under the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities - including respect for their worth, dignity and to live free from abuse, neglect and exploitation.

Importantly, NDIS funding for an individual is allocated to that individual, not to organisations or disability support providers. In effect, participants of the Scheme become ‘customers’ and will havea greater level of choice and control over the supports they receive, who provides them and how they are provided. This can include accessing mainstream and community supports, choosing your support providers, choosing to change providers, and considering how your formal supports fit best with those provided informally by family, friends and other carers.

Insurance approach

The NDIS is the new way of providing individualised support for eligible people with permanent and significant disability, their families and carers.

The NDIS takes a no-fault insurance approach to the provision of supports for all Australians with, or who acquire before the age of 65 years, a permanent and significant disability. This recognises the unpredictable nature of disability and ensures that people with disability, who meet the Scheme access and disability requirements, are provided the reasonable and necessary supports to assist them to make progress toward their goals.

In the instance that a person's impairment is caused by a negligent party or should be compensable via other insurance measures such as that for workplace injuries, the NDIA will encourage individuals to pursue compensation for the cause of impairment.

Advocacy

There are three broad forms of individual advocacy which are available to NDIS participants:

· Support to access mainstream and community services

The NDIA will provide information and referral to participants to enable people with disability to engage in mainstream and community activities and develop self-advocacy skills. The Scheme’s local area coordinators have a key role in supporting access to mainstream and community activity.

· Legal review and representation

This will include advocacy on Agency decisions, for example, an appeal against a decision not to allow a person access to the Scheme. Advocates will speak on behalf of a participant, or act for or represent them in processes. This work which will largely be undertaken by advocates is funded under the National Disability Advocacy Program.

· Systemic advocacy

The NDIA will work with community to achieve positive change to inclusion for people with disability. This work will, in part, be a key focus for the local area coordinators involved in the Scheme at the local level. At the national level the Agency will work to influence national strategies and how they enable positive inclusion.

Funds Management

As an NDIS participant you can choose how to manage the funding for the supports in your plan.

When you meet with your NDIS planner to develop your plan, you will need to decide which plan management option is right for you.

No matter which option you choose for the payment of providers, you remain in control of which providers you select and when and how your supports are delivered.

The Agency has a role in ensuring that participants are not put at risk in managing the funding for supports in their plan. The Agency therefore has to determine which plan management option can be agreed with the participant.

View more information about managing your participant plan.

There are a number of key references that are located on the NDIS website regarding the Planning and Assessment process. View more information about the planning and assessment process.

View the operational guidelines on planning and assessment.

Local Area Coordinators (LACs) and Planners

LACs have an active role in the community to positively influence community attitudes to inclusion and work to address some of the systemic barriers to participation. They will also work to address barriers on behalf of individuals and support people with disability to build capacity to access other support systems and increase independence.

LACs and Coordinators are one of the many ‘gateways’ to access support through the NDIS. LACs will have a strong presence in the local community and provide:

Information, linkage and capacity building

Information about NDIS and other supports in community

Support people with disability who require some assistance (but who may not become participants) to access relevant mainstream and community services in their area

Build capacity of people with disability, their networks and community organisations to build community connections and inclusiveness

Assist people to use My Access Checker, complete access request forms and support them to develop their participant statement; and,

Work with participants to assist them to bring their plan to life To do this, they work closely with the host jurisdiction and representative bodies in the area to identify existing services and supports to ensure that individuals contacting the Agency are provided with the information they need.

View more information on LACs.

Housing and Accommodation

The Scheme will assist all participants to live independently. This includes:

· Supports that build people’s capacity to live independently in the community, such as living skills training, money and household management, social and communication skills and behavioural management.

· Home modifications to the participant’s own home or a private rental property.

· Support with personal care, such as assistance with showering or dressing.

· Domestic assistance around the home where the participant is unable to undertake these tasks due to their disability, such as assistance with cleaning and laundry.

The Scheme may also contribute to the cost of accommodation in situations where the participant has a need for specialised housing due to their disability. The Scheme will only assist with this cost where it is higher than the standard rental cost that the participant would otherwise incur.

View information about supports the NDIS will fund in relation to housing and independent living.

Aids and Equipment

When NDIA staff members make decisions about which supports would be reasonable and necessary for a particular participant, they refer to the particular operational guideline that relates to each specific support.

View more information about what types of supports are funded.

NDIS & Mental Health

The access requirements for the Scheme include people with a psychiatric condition who have significant and permanent functional impairment. Most of these participants will have support needs from both the Scheme and the health and mental health system.

Other participants in the Scheme (i.e. those with disability other than a psychiatric condition) may also require mental health services and supports from time to time.

View more information about supports the NDIS will fund in relation to Mental Health Services.

Early intervention requirements

A person may meet the early intervention requirements if:

· They have a permanent impairment, and

There is evidence that getting supports now (early intervention) will help by either:

· Reducing how much help is needed to do things now and into the future, or

· Helping family or carer to keep helping.

7 Principles – Early Interventions in Early Childhood

Infants and toddlers learn best through every day experiences and interactions with familiar people in familiar contexts.

All families, with the necessary supports and resources, can enhance their children’s learning and development.

The primary role of the service or support provider in early intervention is to work with and support the family members and caregivers in a child’s life.

The early intervention process, from initial contacts through transition, must be dynamic and individualised to reflect the child’s and family members’ preferences, learning styles and cultural beliefs.

Outcomes must be functional and based on children’s and families’ needs and priorities.

The family’s priorities needs and interests are addressed most appropriately by a primary provider who represents and receives team and community support.

Interventions with young children and family members must be based on explicit principles, validated practices, best available research and relevant laws and regulations.

View more information about early intervention requirements.

Age 65 threshold

With regard to the age 65 threshold for access to the NDIS, the Government accepted the recommendations of the Productivity Commission that there should be an age 65 limit for entry to the NDIS.
This involved consultation directly with key disability and seniors peak bodies and organisations on this important issue, and received feedback from members of the public through the online forum ‘NDIS Your Say’ and through submissions to the Senate Inquiry into the NDIS Bill.
It is important to remember that the NDIS is not intended to duplicate existing systems including the aged care system, and the age 65 threshold ensures that there is no duplication between the Scheme and aged care. The NDIS will complement the aged care system to ensure we deliver a cohesive system that gives people with disability, older people, their families and carers the support they need.

With regard to how people who acquire a disability after the age of 65 will be treated, their care and support needs will be provided by the aged care system. For example, existing services for older Australians such as hearing and vision services, will continue to provide supports to people who develop a disability after age 65.

Demand Driven Markets/Providers/Price Setting

NDIS funding for an individual is allocated to that individual, not to organisations or disability support providers. In effect, participants in the Scheme become ‘customers’ and will have a greater level of choice and control over the supports they receive, who provides them and how they are provided.