The National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) has supports specifically designed for those who have been diagnosed with mental health conditions which resulted in long-term disabilities. However, it is important to distinguish that not everyone with a mental health condition will experience disability.
The type of disability the NDIA provides NDIS supports for is classified as a psychosocial disability. In this article, we’ll provide clear information about what psychosocial means, and which supports are available for those with this kind of disability.
At Absolute Care & Health, we can provide supports for you if you have an NDIS plan. Get in touch with us today to find out more about how to access the NDIS.
What is a psychosocial disability?
If you have been diagnosed with a mental health condition, and this condition has resulted in disability or impairment, the NDIS classifies it as a psychosocial disability.
If you have this kind of disability, you may experience difficulties in daily activities like:
- Attending appointments
- Going shopping
- Looking after yourself
Psychosocial disabilities can vary. You may experience episodic periods of impairment, or persistent, debilitating, and long lasting psychological disability.
Sometimes, a participant may have co-morbid mental health conditions, as well as disabilities. The NDIS provides psychological cover for these participants, too.
Does the NDIS provide support for psychology?
The NDIS has supports in place to help you if you have mental health issues resulting in a disability. The aim of these supports is for recovery. The word recovery, here, refers to achieving a stable state of personal, social, and emotional wellbeing.*
As mental health conditions can be episodic in nature, the budget within your plan is flexible. You can decrease, or increase, your budget as needed.
Supports funded by the NDIS
You can receive funding for Core Supports to assist in daily activities such as:
- Assistance with planning and decision making
- Help with household tasks
- Assistance gaining independence and achieving goals outlined in your NDIS plan
- Advice on financial management
- Help participating in community activities
You can choose whether you’d like to access your supports through centre-based services, in-home providers, day services, or community access and outreach services.
How does the NDIS work with other systems?
The NDIS works alongside existing government services, including:
- Health
- Education
- Housing
- Mental health treatment services
The NDIS works in partnership with health services, but does not replace them. This includes:
- Psychology and psychiatry services
- Dental care
- Dieticians
- Physiotherapists
- Palliative care
- Nursing care
How to access the NDIS?
You’ll need to provide an Evidence of Psychosocial Disability form. This can be filled out by your clinician, support worker, or carer who is a family member or friend.
You will still need to complete a Verbal Access Request form or Access Request form, as all other participants of the NDIS are required to do.
Both these forms help streamline your acceptance into the NDIS, and will enable you to take the next steps to start receiving supports.
Eligibility criteria if you don’t have a psychosocial disability
To become a participant of the NDIS, you must meet certain age and residency requirements.
- You need to be under the age of 65 when you apply
- You must be living in Australia
- You must be an Australian citizen or permanent resident, or hold a Special Category Visa
You also must have a particular type of disability. You can become a participant and receive funding to assist with your life if your disability is:
- Permanent, or likely to be permanent
- Impacting your day-to-day life and your ability to participate in your community or the workforce
- Of a kind where you require support from other people to join in activities or do things at home
- Likely to require specific NDIS supports, and not just health care services, for the rest of your life
How to find out more about applying for the NDIS
Whether you have a psychosocial disability, or a disability which meets the criteria above, we can help you with any questions you have.
At Absolute Care & Health, we provide a range of supports for people with an NDIS plan. While we can’t help you fill out your application, we have extensive experience with providing disability supports and can point you in the right direction.
Once your plan is approved, we can start providing NDIS support services. We’re passionate about working in partnership with you, so we’ll ask you who’d you like to work with, and match you with the right person for your preferences.
