NDIS & Autism FAQ
Does NDIS give funding to individuals with autism?
Yes, people diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder can qualify to become a participant in the National Disability Insurance Scheme or the NDIS. As a permanent disorder with a wide spectrum of different experiences for those who have it, ASD is one of the largest primary categories for the NDIS.
What is Autism?
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) or more commonly referred to autism is a broad range of conditions that affect an individual from birth and spans throughout their lifetime. Autism has no cure, however, individuals are taught coping mechanisms and other strategies to deal with the challenges of their conditions. In Australia, autism affects about 1 in every 150 individuals.
A person with autism is usually characterised as having difficulties with learning, communicating, socialising, regularising their emotions, and coping with change in the environment. People with autism are also often characterised by repetitive behaviours and can be highly sensitive when it comes to sound, touch, smell, taste, and vision. Individuals with ASD can be overwhelmed when these senses are overstimulated and may cause outbursts.
There’s no single condition that describes people with autism as the severity of this disorder can range from mild to severe. People with more severe conditions of ASD may need lifelong support to live normally while people with milder forms of ASD can live relatively normal lives without extra help.
However, the characteristics listed above are almost always observed in a person diagnosed with ASD.
What is the NDIS?
The NDIS or National Disability Insurance Scheme is a funding program by the Australian Government means to provide access to resources, support, and services to Australian citizens who have a permanent and significant disability through NDIS funding.
The NDIS is being managed and administered by the NDIA or the National Disability Insurance Agency. It’s currently being rolled out throughout Australia, except for Western Australia. The scheme’s rollout across different areas in Australia is expected to be completed by 2020.
This means that many more people with disabilities have the opportunity to become an NDIS participant and can create their individualised NDIS plan. The NDIS is available for people with a permanent and significant disability between the ages of 7 to 65 years old.
If a person with a disability becomes an NDIS participant, they will be allowed to receive resources, support, and services. These NDIS funded resources, support, and services can be specifically chosen by the participant given that the organisations providing these resources, support, or services are accredited by the NDIS.
This also ensures that their unique needs and individual goals are taken into consideration when creating the NDIS plan. The ultimate goal for NDIS participants is to lessen the burdens that come with their disabilities and eventually living daily life as normally as possible.
What requirements do I need to have to become an NDIS participant?
To be eligible to be an NDIS participant, first and foremost, the person should have a significant and permanent disability. However, there are other requirements that a person with disability must meet before becoming eligible to apply to the NDIS.
The prospective participant must be between the ages of 7 and 65
They must be an Australian citizen, permanent VISA holders, or protected category VISA holders living in Australia
They need support from another person because of their permanent and significant disability
They must use special equipment because of their permanent and significant disability
They may require current support or treatment to reduce their needs in the future
If a prospective participant meets the first two requirements on the list and one of the remaining three requirements, then they are eligible to apply for the NDIS and create their NDIS plan.
Does having autism automatically qualify for NDIS funding?
Unfortunately, not everyone with ASD will be automatically be accepted into becoming an NDIS participant. They still need to meet the requirements listed above as not everyone with ASD requires the same level of support to meet their needs.
The latest edition of the Diagnosis and Statistical Manual (DSM-5) categorised 3 levels of severity for those diagnosed with ASD. These three levels of severity are:
Level 1 autism that requires low levels of support for the individual diagnosed with ASD. They can have difficulty interacting with others and have difficulties with organisation and planning which can reduce their independence
Level 2 autism that requires substantial support for the individual diagnosed with ASD. They may be only capable of limited amounts of social interaction with narrow interest and they are most likely to frequently perform restrictive and repetitive behaviours
Level 3 autism that requires very substantial support for the individual diagnosed with ASD. They usually have severe deficits in verbal and nonverbal communication skills and they often show great distress and find it difficult when it comes to changing action and focus.
Is one level of autism more likely to be qualified to be an NDIS participant?
Yes. All individuals with ASD will be first assessed to find what level they are on the spectrum. According to the NDIS’s website, individuals with Level 2 Autism severity who requires substantial support and individuals with Level 3 Autism severity who require very substantial support are very likely to qualify for NDIS funding.
These individuals with Level 2 and Level 3 autism severity are often deemed to have a permanent impairment of functional capacity and so they are given automatic access to the NDIS with no further assessments required.
What requirements does an individual with Level 1 autism severity need to meet to be qualified for the NDIS?
Any individual diagnosed with ASD on any level of severity can be qualified for the NDIS. For individuals with Level 1 severity autism who require low levels of support, they need to undergo further assessments and additional reporting is needed.
These individuals need to provide evidence that they have reduced functional capacities in areas such as mobility, communication, social interaction, learning, self-care, and self-management because of their autism.
What resources, support, and services can individuals with autism receive through the NDIS?
The types of resources, support, and services an NDIS participant with autism get depends on their individuals NDIS plan and to an extent, it also depends on their unique needs and personal goals.
But generally, the most appropriate resources, support, and services the NDIS can provide for the NDIS participants with autism are:
● School aid or tutors
● Speech therapist
● Occupational therapists to increase the NDIS participant’s fine motor skills and their ability to concentrate
● Personal care support to help them with showering, dressing, eating, toileting, etc.
● Behavioural support to help build relationships and teach the NDIS participants, their family, and carers behavioural management techniques
● Nutritionist to help them diversify their eating habit
These resources, support, and services will vary with each individual with autism and with the severity level of their condition.
Read more about NDIS Services FAQ We provided Austism testing in Adelaide.