what does the ndis mean for individuals?

12/04/2023 (c) Disability Directory 2013

Understanding the NDIS

For individuals


What does the NDIS do?

• The NDIS is about better funding for disability, but that’s not all it is about

• The NDIS changes the way funding works• The NDIS places much more control in the

hands of the individuals• This short presentation explains how this

works


Funding programs

• The old method generally involved funding programs

• Some examples include:– Aids and equipment schemes– Respite care programs– Therapy programs

• Sometimes these were funded by the State, by the Commonwealth, or a bit of both


Lets take it a step at a timeLets use an example of an imaginary companion dog program.

You’re going to need dogs. People will need to apply for the dogs. Someone has to pay for the dogs. And someone has to organise how this all happens.


The way it works now

First, the money gets divided up

Then it gets shared out to the different

organisations that will manage the programs


The way it works now

Then the people who need a dog apply to the organisations

who are managing the program

Very rarely is there a match between the resources available. So the organisations managing the programs need to make decisions, or may be given guidelines, as to how to share the resources out. This may include waiting lists or reducing the assistance offered.


Some of the other problems include

Lots of paperwork. For the organisations to decide who should get the dog, and what is more urgent, they need to collect a lot of information from everyone.

Many of these processes rely on medical assessments. People end up seeing doctors over and over, not for treatment, but to fill in forms. Where there are not many doctors, or they do not bulk bill, this can cause other problems.

People can be left waiting for a long time, unable to get on with their lives, study, work, socialise etc.


This is not a person centred process at all

Often people have no idea how long the process will take, or what they can do to change things. They have no control over their own lives.

Not all services are the same. This process makes it so difficult to get any assistance, but that does not mean it is the right assistance. There is often a real lack of choice.


This process can be repeated over and over


So how is the NDIS different?“No wrong doors” means that no matter where you start off, or who you ask for services, you should end up in the right place.Instead of applying here there and everywhere, there will be one process.


The NDIS gets the administration out of the way once at the beginning


A process that puts you in charge

Application•You apply to be a participant of the NDIS•You fill in the forms and provide information once for all the supports and

services you need•Disability Care lets you know if you are eligible to be covered

Plan•You agree a plan with DisabilityCare for all the supports and services you

need•You agree who will manage the money for this – you, your family, an

organisation or DisabilityCare•You agree what help you will need to implement the plan, if this is right

for you

Implement•You then go and do the things in the plan.•This might include looking around at different trained dogs, to see what is

the most appropriate one for you•You may also choose to get some advice from an organisation that knows

about these dogs, or that knows about your type of disabilityYou then go and buy your dog!

what does the ndis mean for individuals?

Education

disability care

ndis places

ndis different

funding programs

way funding

beone process

people endup

better funding