ACT NDIS Awareness Package Element 1: What is the NDIS?

Agenda – What is the NDIS?  Introduction  Why do I need to know about the NDIS?  Who is the NDIS for?  What is the NDIA?  What are the main changes with the NDIS?  What is the ACT NDIS Taskforce?  Discuss – What does the NDIS mean for us and our clients and consumers?

Agenda – What is the NDIS? (continued)  How to raise issues of concern  How to make a complaint  Advocacy support  Discuss - Why is it important to know about where to go with issues?  Contacting the NDIA  Getting more information

What are the issues that I need to know about?  The NDIS is a different way of providing supports for people with disability, their family and carers.  Because this is a big change, rollout in the ACT is staged.  Choice and control and individualised funding will mean you need to fit into the plan for a person with disability - this may be different to how you worked in the past.  Services will be designed around individual needs – service providers’ responsiveness to this is likely to affect how well their services are regarded by clients.

What are the issues that I need to know about? (continued)  People with disability, their families and carers may be making decisions about their goals and aspirations and about services for the first time.  They may also be worried about changes to their existing services.  The role of family and carers may have changed if the person with disability wants something different from them. You may need to listen harder to the person with disability.  You will need to know about the NDIA and contact points in the ACT

Who is the NDIS for?  The NDIS is a new way of providing individualised support for people with a permanent and significant disability, their families and carers, as well as participants who would benefit from early intervention.  The Scheme will support people with a permanent and significant disability and who need help with everyday activities.  This includes people whose disability arises from intellectual, cognitive, neurological, sensory, or physical impairment or a psychiatric condition.  The NDIS is being trialled in a number of areas across Australia, including the ACT.

What is the NDIA?  The National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) runs the NDIS across Australia.  The NDIS is a national scheme agreed by all Australian Governments. This incudes State and Commonwealth governments.  All Governments (Commonwealth, State and Territories) fund the NDIS.  The NDIS runs under a Commonwealth Act that sets out its aims and principles.

 There are also detailed rules about how the Scheme will operate.  States and Territories participating in the trial also needed complementary laws.  This is important to maintain existing safeguards and quality standards for disability services. What is the NDIA? (continued)

What is different with the NDIS? Current approachNDIS ▲ Different approaches – program and service funding with some individual support packages ▲ One individual support package for participants ▲ People with disability access funded programs and services run by ACT Government or non- government providers ▲ Funding goes to individuals through the NDIS ▲ People with disability make decisions about their supports, including who provides them. ▲ Individual support plans identify reasonable and necessary supports ▲ Individuals manage their support packages; choose NDIA; a registered plan management provider; another person; or a combination ▲ Supports are based on what services are available ▲ Individuals, families or carers have more choice and control over what services they access and who provides them ▲ Limited planning with restricted options ▲ People with disability, families or carers identify goals and aspirations with an NDIA planner and develop a support plan ▲ Support provided as long as “reasonable and necessary”

What is the ACT NDIS Taskforce?  The ACT NDIS Taskforce Role The NDIA is implementing the NDIS. The NDIA and the ACT Government are working together to make sure that people in the ACT move smoothly into the NDIS. The ACT NDIS Taskforce is also helping develop NDIS national policies and the evaluation of trials.

What is the ACT NDIS Taskforce? (continued)  The Taskforce Representatives The Taskforce has people on it from Education, ACT Health, Mental Health, Therapy ACT, Housing ACT and Disability ACT. The rollout of the NDIS in the ACT is overseen by a Project Board. This is made up of representatives from Health, Education and Training and Community Services Directorates, and the NDIA. It reports to the Minister for Disability.

What is the ACT NDIS Taskforce? (continued)  Expert Panel providing strategic advice An Expert Panel was set up to advise the Taskforce on rollout of the NDIS and how it affects people with disabilities, their families, carers and support providers.

What is the ACT NDIS Taskforce? (continued)  Where can I find out more information if I want it now or need it later? ACT Disability website This website is periodically updated.

What does the NDIS mean for OUR clients and consumers and for us? (Discussion Points)  Who are our clients and consumers?  How much do they know about the NDIS?  How will they be affected by the NDIS?  Thinking about the differences between how things have been and how they will be under the NDIS: Do we need to change how we work? Can we offer more? Should we offer less?

How to raise issues of concern  How a person can raise issues of concern  If someone has feedback or concerns the NDIA wants to hear them.  You can suggest participants and community members raise feedback or concerns in the following ways.  By  to:

How to raise issues of concern (continued)  By making a phone call:  The Disability Information Service:  The National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA):  TTY phone users: and ask for  Speak and Listen users phone and ask for  Internet Relay users connect to the National Relay Service at relayservice.com.au and ask for

How to raise issues of concern (continued)  By visiting the NDIA:  The NDIA is located at two sites:  212 Northbourne Avenue, Braddon 2612  Opening hours: Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm  Nature Conservation House, Corner of Emu Bank and Benjamin Way, Belconnen Town Centre 2617  Opening hours: Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm

How to make a complaint  This link takes you to the NDIS Complaints Form. This link takes you to the NDIS Complaints Form  Complaints can be made through the NDIA office, by phone or in writing including by at  People not happy with an NDIA decision can ask for review. This can be about access to NDIS, reasonable and necessary support, or something else.  The NDIA suggests a person first asks for reconsideration by the person who made the decision.

How to make a complaint (continued)  The next step is a letter or application for internal review to the CEO, NDIA. This review is done by a person who was not involved in the first decision.  Finally, there is access to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal which is a separate review that looks at decisions by government agencies.  The NDIA website has a section on Feedback, complaints and reviews. This explains the options in more detail.Feedback, complaints and reviews

Information on advocacy support  The Commonwealth Government has an advocacy service for people with disability. It is called the National Disability Advocacy Program.  People with disability who have concerns about the NDIS may be able to get advocacy support from this program. Here is a link to more information about the National Disability Advocacy Program. Here is a link to more information about the National Disability Advocacy Program  This link takes you to a series of YouTube videos by Commonwealth government, which describe different types of advocacy available. This link takes you to a series of YouTube videos by Commonwealth government, which describe different types of advocacy available

Why is it important to know about where to go with issues of concern? (Discussion Points)  Do you know what to do if clients or consumers ask you where to go to raise a concern?  How might you help clients or consumers who have an issue with the NDIS but do not know where to go with it?  When do you think clients and consumers might need advocacy support?  How would you refer someone to advocacy?

NDIA Contact details  On the internet: or ACT Community Services. Community Services  By phone call:  The Disability Information Service:  The National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA):  TTY phone users: and ask for  Speak and Listen users phone and ask for  Internet Relay users connect to the National Relay Service at relayservice.com.au and ask for

NDIA Contact details - Mail  Mail:  National Disability Insurance Agency  GPO Box 700  Canberra ACT 2601

Visiting the NDIA  212 Northbourne Avenue, Braddon Opening hours: Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm  Nature Conservation House, Corner of Emu Bank and Benjamin Way, Belconnen Opening hours: Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm

Where can I get more information on the NDIS?  Check the NDIA website at  Phone the NDIA on  Visit the ACT NDIA Office in 212 Northbourne Avenue or at Nature Conservation House, Belconnen  See: What is the National Disability Insurance Scheme?What is the National Disability Insurance Scheme?  See: ACT Taskforce “Transition to the NDIS”ACT Taskforce “Transition to the NDIS”  See: NDIS on ACT Community ServicesNDIS on ACT Community Services