In Australia, the range of supports and community services available to people with a disability is broad and varied.

From financial assistance (the main and mostly utilised form of support) to accommodation, education and community participation, there are many avenues that a disabled person can access help from.

In July 2016, a whole new scheme called the NDIS (National Disability Insurance Scheme) was introduced. This has since replaced the old system of disability care and support provided under the National Disability Agreement, and is among the very first few avenues people with a disability go for.

NDIS – The Supports and Services Available to A Disabled Person

Quite different from other support schemes, the NDIS is individualised-based. What this means is that the funding provided to an individual is tailored according to the person’s actual needs and goals, so it is not a “one-size-fits-all”.

Instead, the NDIA (the agency responsible to implement the NDIS) will first ask a participant questions about the different areas of his/her life and find out what their goals are. For some, that may be increased social life while for others, it is to have more independence in their life.

Under the NDIS, these would all be taken into account when they work out the funding required for a participant. Once that is determined and approved in a “Plan”, the participant will be able to access the services and supports necessary to help pursue their goals by bringing their Plan to a disability service provider of preference.

A good service provider will be able to provide services that are tailored to a person’s needs and geared to supporting their independence. Generally, such supports and services fall into three categories: core, capital and capacity building. This includes (but is not limited to):

• Core: support that helps a participant complete daily living activities
• Capital: support for an investment e.g. assistive technologies, equipment, home or vehicle modifications, funding for capital costs
• Capacity building: support that helps a participant build their independence and skills

With that said, if it is something not related to the participant’s disability (or if it is the same as other supports delivered under a different funding), a support will not be funded. A disabled person will not be entitled to day-to-day living costs that are not related to their support needs, while supports that can be more appropriately delivered by another system will be excluded, too.

As you can see, the NDIS is more comprehensive in that it provides greater flexibility to people with a disability. They can have direct control over the funding they receive, and it is easier to access help and support through this scheme too – just go to a disability service provider and one would be able to get all the support they need from one place.