NDIS Frequently asked questions
What is NDIS?
The National Disability Insurance Scheme is called the NDIS. It’s a new way for people with a disability, under the age of 65, to get the care and supports they need.
The NDIS is for people with a permanent and significant disability which impacts on their ability to take part in everyday activities.
If you are eligible, you will work out what reasonable and necessary supports you need to live your life and achieve your goals. You’ll then receive funding to pay for these supports.
Find more information on the
NDIS website.
What will the NDIS fund?
With the NDIS, you will work out what reasonable and necessary supports you need to live your life and achieve your goals. You’ll then receive funding to pay for these supports.
Reasonable and necessary supports help someone with a disability to:
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pursue their goals, objectives and aspirations
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increase their independence
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increase social and economic participation, and
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develop their capacity to actively take part in the community.
This support may include education, employment, community and social participation, independence, living arrangements, and health and well-being.
Why was the NDIS introduced?
Before the NDIS was introduced, disability services in Australia gave little choice.
The funding you received depended on how, when and where you acquired your disability, as well as where you lived. Some people got enough funding, some people got none!
So, after they held an enquiry, the Federal Government agreed that people with a disability deserved a fairer system. And, more control!
Who is eligible for the NDIS?
The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) provides funding to pay for support services for Australians living with disability.
You can use this money for Companion Mental health and disability services.
To join NDIS you must be:
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up to 64 years of age
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an Australian citizen, Permanent Visa holder or Special Category Visa holder
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a person with a disability that’s likely to be permanent, making it difficult to take part in everyday activities
What is the NDIA?
The NDIA is the National Disability Insurance Agency.
It is a government agency and its role is to implement and manage the NDIS and make sure people with disability continue to get the support they need.
What sort of things do i have to pay for?
Examples of things you might need to pay for:
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Fees to participate in activities
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Transport costs that exceed your NDIS plan allocation
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Board and Lodging Fees, if you live in a our home
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Personal expenses, if you live in our home home
Is there 24/7 support?
With Companion mental health and dissability services homes, yes.
Can i change my support coordinator?
You remain in control of their plan and have choice and control over who will act as you support coordinator.
If you want to change providers you should discuss it with us first, and review your service agreement.
If the decision is made to change to another provider, we will support your choice and allow for a smooth transition of your services to the other provider.
What is Support coordination?
Support coordination is a reasonable and necessary support designed to assist participants to understand and implement the funded supports in their plan, as well as build links to broader systems of support including other government services.
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There are three levels of support coordination that can be included in a participant’s plan:
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Support connection: This basic level of support is for building a participant’s ability to connect with informal, community and funded supports, enabling them to get the most out of their plan and achieve their goals.
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Support Coordination: Coordination of supports: This medium level of support will assist a participant to build the skills they need to understand, implement, and use their plan. The role of a Support Coordinator is to work with the participant to ensure a mix of supports are used to increase the participant’s capacity to maintain relationships, manage their service delivery tasks, live more independently and be included in the community.
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Support Coordination: Specialist support coordination: This is a higher level of support coordination. It is for people whose situations are more complex and who need specialist support. A Specialist Support Coordinator will assist a participant to manage challenges in their own support environment and ensure consistent delivery of service.
Depending on a participant’s individual goals, aspirations and functional requirements, the participant may receive funding for these supports in their plan.
Is a plan manager the same as a support cordinator?
No. While they both help with managing and implementing NDIS plans, support coordination is a capacity building support funded to help participants design and implement the supports in their plan so they can live a better life.
As a participant’s confidence and capacity to implement their plan increases, funding for support coordination may decrease.
A Plan Manager’s role is to manage and monitor plan funding and submit claims to the NDIA on behalf of a participant’s providers.
What is the role of our Plan Manager?
Plan management gives you increased choice and control over plan implementation and utilisation with the benefit of financial and plan administrative support.
A Mosaic Plan Manager assists in implementing and managing your plan by:
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managing, monitoring and maintaining budgets over the course of the plan
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ensuring supports are purchased in line with the plan and plan budget
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submitting payment requests to the NDIA
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paying support providers directly or reimbursing a participant for supports in line with the participant’s plan
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negotiating payment and purchasing terms of service agreements and ensuring they are in place
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maintaining records
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providing access to and oversight of a wider provider market where non-registered providers are being engaged.
Is transport included?
If you are not able to use public transport because of your disability, you may be able to get NDIS funding to cover transport such as taxis.
If you already receive funding through a taxi subsidy scheme, the NDIA takes this into account.
The NDIS will not pro
vide funding to carers or family members to transport a person with a disability to everyday commitments.
The NDIS can also fund supports that help you build confidence and learn how to travel or use public transport independently.
For example, if your goal is to get your driver’s licence, the NDIS may be able to support you to achieve this.
Can i change my mind about my provider(s)
You can change your mind and so can we. This will be if, while receiving our services:
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Your compatibility with our service changes; or
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There are issues related to your Companion mental health and disability Service Agreement, your Companion mental health and disability Accommodation Agreement (where applicable); and
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If you are living in a our home
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Examples of changes to your support needs which may result in your needing to exit our services:
If you need a two (2)-person transfer permanently; or
You need nursing or other medical care which cannot be adequately met through a drop-in health service.
In short…if you are not happy with your disability service provider, you can change to make sure you are getting the support you need.
How do i start planning for the NDIS?
After you apply for the NDIS, and before you receive your NDIS plan, you will have an NDIS planning meeting.
This meeting will be with an NDIA planner or a Local Area Coordinator (LAC). A LAC is someone from an organisation who has partnered with the NDIA.
Before you have this meeting, it’s good to have had a think about what you want to get out of it.
You should think about who you are, what is important to you, what supports you currently have, and how you want your life to be. And if you like, we can help you work through this!
AM i eligible for Companion mental health and disability services?
To be considered for Companion mental health and disability services, you must be:
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over 18-years; and
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eligible for funded supports under the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS);
Where you intend to live in a Companion mental health and disability home, you may need to be eligible for the Community Disability Housing Program.
Your access to Companion mental health and disability services is then be dependent on our assessment of how compatible you are with:
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The support we can provide; and
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Others you might share that support with.
If we can’t meet your requirements, or don’t think we are the best service to do so, we will try to recommend other services to you.
Your ongoing access to Mosaic services is dependent on things continuing to work well for both you and us.
What is the NDIA?
The NDIA is the National Disability Insurance Agency.
It is a government agency and its role is to implement and manage the NDIS and make sure people with disability continue to get the support they need.
