NDIS Trails Outcome Summary

Are you ready for the NDIS?

Committee hearing into the trail sites for the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) has highly much confusion; lack of planing and inconsistency. Initials findings should many participates (especially those who had not been previously supported), were significantly unprepared when entering the planning stages of the NDIS package. 

There was also much confusion with staff as to what could be included in the funding package and what couldn't. Some examples are taxi subsidies, affordable housing, therapies, and service unit pricing.

The key challenges for the NDIS that have emerged over the last 12 months are:-

1. The need for the use of strong advocates in the planning stages
2. A strong knowledge of your disability, how if effects you and your support needs.
3. Lack of flexibly in the funding  
4. Differences and irreglaurates between the trail sites e,g. Some states subsidies taxis and others didn't.
5. Finical risks for services providers praticually when unit prices was not given careful considerate. 

The source for the above summary is Checking up on the NDIS as a service user and a service providers these findings are disappointing. Especially when one of the key promises of the NDIS was flexible service delivery.   

For anyone entering into an assessment and planing stages with the NDIS agency staff I recommend

1. Carefully chose your independent advocate who will support you through the process. Chose someone who know you and how your disability affects your lifestyle choices well. You want support services who will support you to have the lifestyle you want. 
2. You or your advocate reads all information and documents on National Disability Insurance Scheme Website. 
3. Being able to clearly define you disability and support needs.
4. Researching services providers in your area. Having a comprehensive knowledge of what different Service Providers see List of Providers (Note all service providers funded under the NDIS will need to be registered with them even if you op to use a generic service, such as a home cleaning services.
5. Know the base rate of any service you think you may meed.  e.g. Personal Care; Transport; Physio; or early childhood intervention.  Even if you do not intend to self-manage.
6. Do be rushed, bullied or pushed into choices that won't suit your needs, have your list of alternatives ready. 
7. Contact advocate service if you need advice or feel unsure.