New guide to navigating the NDIS

Flinders University has authored a guide to the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) for mental health services providers who work with people with psychosocial disability.

The guide, funded by the Australian Department for Social Services, forms part of a larger body of work that aims to support mental health providers to transition their customers to the NDIS as it rolls out around the country.

Project lead and co-author Associate Professor Tania Shelby-James said she hoped it would help smooth the transition to the NDIS for people with psychosocial disability.

“We worked with a range of industry stakeholders, providers, and government representatives to ensure the most relevant, up-to-date information was available in this guide.

“The NDIS is such a new landscape that we really hope that this guide will make a big difference for community-based mental health providers, who are at the front-line of helping their clients access the scheme.”

The guide was launched by Assistant Minister for Social Services and Disability Services, Jane Prentice.

“For people with significant disability, the NDIS can be life-changing, giving people the power to choose the support they need, when and where they need it,” Assistant Minister Prentice said.

“Consultation with mental health providers has revealed a strong need to assist people with a psychosocial disability through the NDIS process.

“The guide, Accessing the NDIS, provides practical advice based on providers’ own experiences.

“The information helps simplify the NDIS requirements, such as explaining how clients can test their eligibility and meet NDIS criteria.”

The guide builds on work underway by the National Disability Insurance Agency, the Productivity Commission and the Joint Standing Committee on the NDIS to improve support pathways for people with psychosocial disability.

Accessing the NDIS, written by Dr Stacey Masters and Associate Professor Tania Shelby-James, is available from Flinders Academic Commons and the Australian Department of Social services website.

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