Hi Corri

See the picture below. When I raised this issue at the last DRCO Forum, you initially said it was not happening (which implied I was lying). Then when Jenny K confirmed what I said you backed off a bit - I don't recall precisely what you said next.

This is from another source (Jenny will not know of this one).

This shows parts of the NDIA have a total ban on ABA as a support for autistic children. According to the information the NDIA commissioned from the Autism CRC, that means the NDIS will not fund any of EIBI, PECS, NDBI and PBS (see the attached extract from the Autism CRC Guidelines on early intervention). 

On the other hand, we find out that:

Equine Therapy and Animal-Assisted Therapy:

Participants can utilise equine therapy and other animal therapies if these are all delivered by qualified allied health professionals e.g Occupational Therapist and Speech Therapist etc. Therefore it is charged under the therapy line item and the animals and outdoor environment are incorporated into the therapy activities to promote engagement and effective therapy - also known as Equine assisted learning/therapy or animal assisted learning/therapy. To ensure it’s funded under the NDIS you just need to ensure it’s delivered by the qualified allied health professional as per the NDIS Guidelines.

It’s important to note: Participants are not getting “animal therapy”. They are getting Occupational Therapy or Speech therapy and working towards their therapy/NDIS goals.

Advice has been given in several sessions that people should get around the new rules as suggested above.

Autistic people and their families are often strict rule followers. Many of them will be simply unable to bend the rules as they are now being advised. How will the NDIS accommodate their "differences"?
-- 
Bob Buckley
Co-convenor, Autism Aspergers Advocacy Australia (A4)
website: http://a4.org.au/