The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is funded and regulated by the Australian government in partnership with stakeholder states and other regional governments. Its main agenda is individualized support packages that are available to people with disabilities.
If you qualify for this scheme, you should find reputable NDIS Providers to help you meet your needs. Although this scheme was launched in 2016, several Australians are still very unclear about it. How it can assist them, this article will help you to understand what NDIS is, how it will affect you, and how to check whether you are eligible to participate in it.
What is The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS)?
The NDIS main focus is to provide lifetime care and assistance to Australians who are living with a disability. Other than providing funding for them, their families, and carers, it also seeks to provide support to people with disabilities so that they can have better outcomes in their future.
Eligible Australian taxpayers offer their contribution to aid the services of the scheme. NDIS and all its services are regulated by the National Disability Insurance Agency.
What Does NDIS Aim to Do For You?
The main goal of NDIS is to assist you by:
- Providing support that is necessary to you achieving your goals thereby realizing your full potential
- Boosting your independence through supporting your involvement in regular social and economic bodies.
What Kind of Help Can You Get Through NDIS?
If you are eligible for NDIS, some of the services that you can get support with include:
- Transport to enable you to be actively involved in mainstream economic, social, and community activities.
- Support to allow you to gain employment in a supported or regular job market
- Assistance with routine household chores to enable you to nurture your home surroundings
- Behavioral support and therapeutic assistance
- Support to modify your home to suit your needs
- Mobility services assistance
- Support to change your vehicle
Some of the support that the NDIS will not fund includes:
- Funding that has no relation to a disability
- Personal daily needs that are not related to support needs
- Support that may put the participant at risk or people in the same environment
- Support whose burden should be carried by a different authority
How To Find Out If You Are Eligible For NDIS
To find out whether you are eligible for NDIS support, answer these questions:
- Are you between 7-65 years old?
- Are you an Australian citizen or hold a permanent visa?
- Does permanent disability require you to seek support from other people regularly?
- Do you require the use of special equipment due to permanent disability?
- To reduce your needs in the future, do you require support?
If your answer is ‘yes’ to all the above questions, then you are eligible for NDIS.
Once you have confirmed that you are eligible for NDIS, the next step for you to take is to find a registered NDIS provider.
This can either be in the form of an individual or an organization that will provide assistance or a product to a beneficiary of NDIS. For a provider to be registered with the scheme, they have to meet the specifications concerning approvals, experience, qualifications, and the ability to provide the approved assistance.
How To Find NDIS Providers
To find providers, you may want first to have a list of the services that you’re interested in that will help you to reach your goals. Here are ways that you can find great NDIS providers.
- Provider Lists: On the myplace website, use the provider finder to search for suitable providers that will best suit your needs and help you to achieve your goals.
- Online Reviews: An excellent partner will have a website where you can find information about them. Get onto their review page and find out what other participants are saying concerning their services and their carers. You want to find a home care partner with high ratings.
- Referrals from family and friends: the chances are that you know someone who knows a great partner. Speak to as many people as you can and listen carefully to what they’ve got to say concerning the services of your potential partner.
- Find out if the partner is attentive to participants’ needs; whether their team has got the experience to deal with your needs, whether they can provide you with high-quality mobility equipment, and whether their staff is attentive. All these questions will help you to find out if your partner will give you excellent services.
- Interview your potential provider: if you can, set up a meeting with your potential provider to find a way on how they can be of service to you. During your interview, check whether your potential provider gives you information freely. Ask to see the results of criminal records of any potential carers.
The most important aspect of having a provider is so that they can help you to achieve your goals. Have an in-depth conversation with your potential service about how they can help you to achieve your goals. Before you settle for a provider, find out if:
- They are registered on NDIS
- They are committed to helping you achieve your goals
- Whether you can choose your carer
- Support can be provided to you at your convenience
- The service is affordable
- Disputes are settled in a professional way
- They have any privacy regulations and rules
As a participant, you don’t need to share your NDIS plan with your provider. However, if you choose to, you can share it with potential services on the myplace portal.
One benefit of sharing your NDIS plan with your service is that they will have an idea of your goals and what you want for your future. Having this knowledge will enable them to know how to help you attain your goals and lead an independent life.