The National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) today announced a pilot which will use independent health professionals with experience in disability to undertake functional assessments, so that participants are able to access and use appropriate supports through the NDIS.
The NDIA will be piloting the use of independent health professionals who will use standardised tools that help determine the functional impact a person's disability has on their capacity to engage in the community, work place, and social activities.
The pilot will be voluntary, free of charge, and available to people who have already applied to the NDIS and are awaiting an access decision, and for people who already have their access confirmed and are awaiting a plan.
This information will support the NDIA in improving the consistency, accuracy and reliability of Agency decision-making, and help deliver improved and more consistent access decisions and plans.
Analysis by the NDIA shows access and planning decisions have been variable for participants with autism spectrum disorder, intellectual disability, and psychosocial disability. The pilot will focus on understanding the functional impact of these disabilities to make sure participants are able to access the right supports.
"Participants and their families have told us they want the NDIS to be more consistent and equitable," said NDIA CEO Robert De Luca.
The pilot contributes to the continuous improvements being made to the participant pathway, and will be run in areas of New South Wales for people aged seven years and older.
Participants in the pilot will have the chance to provide feedback about the experience and shape future improvements to the NDIS access and planning process.
The pilot will run from November 2018 – February 2019.
Any future improvements to the access and planning process will only be undertaken after further consultation with people with disability, their families, the sector and providers.
Any person who is eligible for the NDIS will continue to receive the reasonable and necessary supports they need.