NDIS Sunshine Coast

ndis-sunshine-coast.jpg

The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) first rolled out in Sunshine Coast on the first of January 2019 and persons with disability in Sunshine Coast are now able to enjoy the supports that the NDIS offers. The government has existing funded disability services but it is required to turn over the responsibility of providing disability services to NDIS.

What is NDIS?

The NDIS is a scheme run by the Australian Government with the goals to help Australian citizens with disabilities through funding the support and services that they need to live daily lives as normally as possible. The funding is meant to go directly to the providers of the support and services that the NDIS participant requires for an efficient administration of support and services.

Through its support, the NDIS seeks to improve the lives of people who face intellectual, physical, sensory, cognitive, and psychological disabilities.

NDIS provides supports to people in the Sunshine Coast with disability in terms of education, employment, health and wellness, transportation, home modification, and community engagement. The provided supports are essential in helping people with disability to hone their skills and gain independence.

Who are eligible in accessing NDIS?

In order to become an NDIS participant, the NDIS has developed an eligibility checklist for applicants for people to find out if they are eligible. You must be:

  • Between the ages of 7 and 65; and

  • Living in Australia (Applicable to Citizens, Permanent Visa holders and/or Protected Special Category Visa holders); and

  • Having a permanent or significant disability that requires another person’s support; or

  • Using special equipment because of a permanent or significant disability; or

  • In need of support to reduce future needs.

You are eligible to apply for NDIS if the first two and one of the last three requirements apply. NDIS is readily available in Sunshine Coast for those eligible and once approved, NDIS will provide funding for ‘reasonable' and ‘necessary' support that is required to address the certain disability. To determine what is reasonable and necessary, an assessment will be conducted to determine the person’s goals and needs in their daily life.

How about children between ages 0-6 years old?

The child can still access the supports provided by the NDIS. In this case, NDIS does not need a diagnosis of disability as long as they live in Australia, are an Australian citizen, or hold a permanent or special category visa.

How to apply?

  1. Make an access request – You can access request by calling their hotline or ask for a form to be filled out. Additionally, you can seek help in filling out the form from your Sunshine Coast Local Area Coordinator (LAC), Early Childhood Early Intervention (ECEI) partner, or local Sunshine Coast NDIA office.

  2. They will ask questions that would confirm your identity or a person’s authority to act on your behalf

  3. They will ask questions that would confirm if you meet the requirements needed to access NDIS

  4. If you have an existing disability service, you have to ask for consent from your provider as they need to seek information from third parties

What is included in the individualised NDIS plans?

The individualised package assists the NDIS participant with long-term needs. The individualised plan covers the support needed by the participant to achieve their goals. The plan includes supports that are funded by the NDIS. NDIS-funded support includes:

  • Therapeutic support including behaviour support;

  • Equipment;

  • Home Modifications;

  • Transportation;

  • Support for daily activities such as eating and getting dressed; and

  • Modifications of your car.

The NDIS plan is reviewed every 12 months. Reviewing the plan allows the participant to discuss the progress in achieving their goals, changes in goals that the participants deem necessary, and adjustment of support as circumstances change.

The NDIS funds reasonable and necessary support that aids in reaching the participant’s goals. Support must be related to the disability, based on evidence, and likely to benefit and work. The support does not include daily living costs that are not related to the participant’s disability needs.

Furthermore, NDIS also supports the family and carers in giving the participant’s care and support they needed by discussing the factor or areas that might be affected in caring and supporting the participant in the future. The NDIS also helps in finding other Sunshine Coast carers that could be of help and providing support when they need help in giving the same level of care the participant needs.

Early Intervention

NDIS supports early intervention to reduce future risks. Early intervention aims to reduce the need for support in the future and increase the participant’s skills and independence. When positive changes are observed and the need for support is reduced, this might mean that the participant no longer needs the help of NDIS. Nonetheless, the participant can still access NDIS if there are additional needs in the future.

NDIS Services.jpg

Managing your NDIS Plan

The participant is given the choice and control in the manner of managing their funding. The options include:

  • Self-managed – the participant or a member of the family can manage the funding of the support. The participant can have a nominee to do manage the funding on his behalf and this nominee can be a friend or a carer.

  • NDIA-Managed – NDIA can help the participant find and communicate with the registered providers. The participant can choose the service providers they wants from the registered providers listed on the NDIS website, following which, NDIA pays the providers directly.

  • Registered plan management provider – the plan management provider lifts the burden from the hands of the participant or their carer in managing the funds. The plan management provider finds and organise providers for the participant, handle documents needed, pay the service providers, and work with service providers in planning and decision-making.

  • A combination of the options mentioned above.

The Role of Psychologists in the NDIS

Psychologists are important professionals in helping the disabled minority in the area of behavioural support and intervention. Psychologists help in devising a plan in managing challenging behaviours and finding meaningful community-based programs  that open countless opportunities for disabled people to smoothly participate in social interactions and build meaningful relationships within the Sunshine Coast community.

Therapeutic support helps participants to discuss their goals that are related to their disability and how they would achieve it. The psychologists hold counselling with the participants to help them devise the best strategies to use in achieving their goals. The mental health of the participants is an area that needs considerable attention.

NDIS helps persons with disability lead their lives by reducing the barriers that restrict them from living a wholesome life. However, certain areas need to be addressed as they cause inconvenience and frustration to the participants. These areas include devising goals and providing evidence of their disability. Justifying how the chosen service would improve the quality of life of the participant and increase their independence are areas to be addressed as well. Lastly, reducing the impact of their disability in carrying on daily activities and establishing how the goals can be supported and who would support these goals are some of the areas that need attention.


Find out more or make an appointment with us: