NDIS Reforms – Have Your Say
The NDIA is changing the way plans are implemented and they want to hear from people who use the scheme and the affects it has on your supports.
They have released three discussion papers, outlining the proposed changes to the NDIS act, how the changes may work and what these changes will mean for you.
The three discussion papers are on the following topics:
- How the NDIS works for 7 to 65-year-olds:
- Access and eligibility policy for independent assessments.
- Planning policy for personalised budgets and plan flexibility.
- How the NDIS works for young children:
- Supporting young children and families early, to reach their full potential.
They want to make improvements to these three topics, and want to know how they can become simpler, faster, fairer and more flexible. Let’s talk about what these changes are and how your voice can be heard.
Access and eligibility policy for independent assessments
At the moment, people with a disability can struggle to find all the information they need from a variety of health professionals. There are long wait times, it can be quite expensive and there are often varying opinions.
This is why it’s proposed that from mid-2021, if you meet the initial requirements of the NDIS, you will be referred to an independent assessment. You will still need to provide evidence of your age, residency and disability with your access request form, but there will be a more consistent and fairer approach to determine whether you are actually eligible for the NDIS.
You can download and read the full discussion paper here.
If you want to have your say on the independent assessments, use this submission form.
Planning policy for personalised budgets and plan flexibility
This change will directly affect the way we can provide our plan management service to you. We know the planning process can be made simpler and faster for our participants and we’re excited about the changes NDIS are making.
These improvements would give you more choice and control over your plan, which would also provide more flexibility across all categories within your NDIS budget. Your plan will also be set up for longer periods of time, with regular checks-ins to make sure it’s still suited to your needs.
You can download and read the full discussion paper here.
These proposed changes may come into effect late 2021, so have your say via this submission form today.
Supporting young children and families early, to reach their full potential.
The NDIS are looking to reset the Early Childhood Early Intervention approach due to inconsistent delivery and the negative impacts this can have on young children and their family.
It is recommended that the age group be lifted from 7-years-old to 9-years-old to support young children and their family through important milestones, like transitioning through school. They also want to change key operational guidelines and practices of the following three early childhood pathways:
- Early supporting including whether or not a child is eligible for the NDIS.
- Planning and implementation of best practice supports.
- Support to transition when ready for the next stage of their life.
You can download and read the full discussion paper here.
If the Early Childhood Early Intervention affects you, have your say via the submission form.
The NDIS reforms are open until the 23 February, so don’t miss out on an opportunity to have your say and help the NDIS deliver a better and fairer experience for all people with a disability accessing the NDIS and participants already in the Scheme.
If you’re looking for more information or advice, you can call us on 1300 60 33 89 or email at [email protected].
