Taking steps to prepare for the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS)
In a recent post, we shared three tips to help you get prepared for the NDIS. Today we discuss how to put those tips into practice.
1.Stick to trusted sources. Everyone seems to want to explain in their own way how the NDIS works. We say stick to the major websites, such as the Every Australian Counts campaign. They’ve moved on from the amazing grassroots movement that helped deliver the NDIS, to create a clean and simple site on how the NDIS process works for individuals:
We also like the NDIS Grassroots Discussion Facebook page, where more than 10,000 people are sharing ideas on how to make the NDIS work for them.
2. Prepare for your planning meeting. This meeting is the critical step in deciding what NDIS supports you will receive. You really should go into it prepared.
Again, lots of planning information and tools have emerged, but you’ll save time and make life much easier for your NDIS planner if you stick to their Getting Plan Ready form, available on the NDIS website.
But to really prepare, we suggest you go one step further. Why not write up what you think your actual plan and funded supports should be? To do this, here’s a sample of the current NDIS plan that you can download. The key section on funded supports starts on page five.
To write the plan, you’ll also need to understand the NDIS Price Guide, which sets out the types of supports participants can purchase with their NDIS funding.
Give it a shot! Make sure you do it regardless of what supports you’ve been funded for in the past. And remember that your NDIS funding will be determined by what’s deemed to be reasonable and necessary under the terms of the Scheme, so not everything will be given the OK. But it can’t hurt to ask.
It’s a lot to get your head around, right? That brings us to #3….
3. Get an independent adviser or advocate. Good, unbiased advice to support you through the NDIS process is worth its weight in gold. We’ve met some fantastic independent planners who will work hard to get the best outcome for you, and we’re happy to share their names on request.
Now we know that few people have the resources to pay for another service. But if you already have funding for personal care or social support, talk to us about how you can save money with InLife to put towards the cost of your planning.
We’re also happy to give free informal advice however we can. We understand how important the planning stage is and want everyone to get the best outcome from the NDIS that you can.
Until next time,
David
david.clarke@inlife.org.au
