Advice Support Tool
Theme: Hearing
All hearing aids manufacturers have intermediary devices compatible to their specific brand hearing aid. These always include a low-cost remote microphone (the name of which varies). Some also have a relatively low cost ‘table’ microphone.
References:
- NDIS Act 2013 Section 34 1. (a) - (f) and 2.
- NDIS Support for Participant Rules 2013
- NDIS and Hearing Supports
- Hearing Supports Fact Sheet
- PG Hearing Supports
Note: All criteria need to be met for the supports to be funded through the NDIS.
| Criteria for reasonable and necessary | Is criteria | Considerations (including evidence |
|---|---|---|
| supports | met? | used) |
| 34.1(a) Enabling the participant’s goals | ☐ Yes | s47E(d) - certain operations of agencies |
| and objectives | ||
| (supports will assist the participant to pursue | ||
| the goals and objectives in their plan) | ||
| ☐ No | ||
| 34.1(b) Assist the participant’s social and economic participation | ☐ Yes | s47E(d) - certain operations of agencies |
| (supports will assist the participant to undertake activities to facilitate their social | ||
| and economic participation ) | ||
| ☐ No |
Criteria for reasonable and necessary supports
| Criteria for reasonable and necessary supports | Is criteria met? | Considerations (including evidence used) |
|---|---|---|
| 34.1(c) Value for money (supports represents value for money, ie the costs of support are reasonable, both in terms of the benefits achieved and the cost of alternative support) | ||
| Consider NDIS Support for Participant Rules 2013 Part 3.1 (a) – (f); | ||
| s47E(d) - certain operations of agencies | ||
| Are there comparable support options which would achieve the same outcome at a substantially lower cost? What alternative supports were considered? | ||
| Is there evidence that the support will substantially improve the life stage outcomes and be of long-term benefit to the participant? | ||
| Is there evidence that funding support is likely to increase independence and reduce funded support costs in the long-term? | ||
| Is there evidence the support will increase the participant’s independence and reduce the participant’s need for other kinds of supports? | ||
| Is there evidence the quoted support cost is comparable to expected cost of same kind | ||
| of Supports 7547E(q) =certam operavons of agencies | ||
| oS | ☐ Yes → | Has evidence been provided to demonstrate: |
| s47E(d) - certain operations of agencies | ||
| redacted: s47E(d) - certain operations of agencies | ||
| device will substantially improve the life stage outcomes, be of #s |
Criteria for reasonable and necessary supports
| Criteria for reasonable and necessary supports | Is criteria met? | Considerations (including evidence used) |
|---|---|---|
| 34.1(d) Support is effective or beneficial for the participant | ||
| (supports will be, or are likely to be, effective for desired effect and beneficial for the participant, having regard to current good practice) | ||
| Consider NDIS Support for Participant Rules 2013 Part 3.2 and 3.3 | ||
| What are the expected benefits of the support provision? | ||
| How will effectiveness of achieved outcome be measured? | ||
| When will effectiveness of achieved outcome be achieved? | ||
| Are there other supports required to achieve or maximise the reported support outcomes for participant? | ☐ Yes → | |
| ☐ No → | Has evidence been provided to demonstrate: | |
| s47E(d) - certain operations of agencies | ||
| redacted |
| 34.1(e) Support coordinates with but does not replace informal support (funding or provision of supports takes account of what it is reasonable to expect families, carers, informal networks and the community to provide) Consider NDIS Support for Participant Rules 2013 Part 3.4 | ☐ Yes → ☐ No → | redacted |
| 34.1(f) Support is most appropriately funded by the NDIS (supports are not more appropriately funded or provided through other general service systems or universal service obligations) Consider NDIS Support for Participant Rules 2013 Schedule 1. | ☐ Yes → ☐ No → | Has evidence been provided to demonstrate:
- the participant is NOT independently eligible for the Community Services Obligation (CSO) component of the Hearing Service Program (HSP)
- does not have a current ‘in-kind’ voucher (in-kind vouchers will be end dated anytime up until July 1, 2025, and all vouchers that were current as of July 1 2021 were extended two years past the original expiry date that may be seen in a CRM alert)
- the primary use of the device is for the participant personal life not for work redacted |
| Criteria for reasonable and necessary supports | Is criteria met? | Considerations (including evidence used) |
|---|---|---|
| Participants are automatically eligible for the CSO component of the HSP if they: |
- are aged under 26 years
- are Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander and either:
- o aged 50 years or over, or
- o take part in
- the Community Development Program (formerly known as the Remote Jobs and Communities Program and the Community Development Employment Projects Program), or
- o took part in the Community Development Employment Projects Program from 30 June 2013 and received hearing services from Hearing Australia before you stopped participating | Participants who are eligible for the CSO component of the HSP may be eligible for RMT funding through the HSP | | If the participant has a 3-frequency average >80dB in their better ear they will automatically be eligible for the CSO component of the HSP and therefore may be eligible for remote microphone funding through the HSP If device is predominantly to be used for work purposes, e.g., meetings, online learning, conferences etc. | | |
| Criteria for reasonable and necessary Is criteria Considerations (including evidence supports met? used) | then the appropriate body to fund the device is Job Access|Employment Assistance Fund s47E(d) - certain operations of agencies | Most likely will not cause harm (Supports will not be funded if it is likely to cause harm to the participant or pose a risk | Yes —> Most likely will not cause harm to others, or the support would be contrary to a law of a jurisdiction) Consider NDIS Support for Participant Rules 2013 Part 5.1 and 5.3 Support is directly related to the O Yes > Is hearing loss listed as a disability? participant’s disability (supports will not be funded under the NDIS_ | No —> if they do not relate to the participant’s disability or are day-to-day expenses or income replacement) Consider NDIS Support for Participant Rules 2013 Part 5.1 and 5.2 Support does not duplicate other OYes ~~ Supports may be duplicated if: supports _ . . The participant has a previous in- (supports do not duplicate other supports ONo ——~> | kind voucher and is eligible for the delivered under alternative funding through CSO component of the HSP (see the NDIS such as Information, Linkages and $34.1 (f) for information on CSO Capacity Building (ILC) funding.) eligibility), then this may be a duplication of supports, as NDIS Consider NDIS Support for Participant Rules funded in-kind vouchers for the HSP 2013 Part 5.1 for these participants Are all of the above criteria met for all OO Yes ? supports? O No —_
Version Control
| Version # | Status | Date | Modified by | Brief Description of Modification |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| V1.0 | Cleared | 01/09/2023 | LHN531 | Production of initial V1.0 |
| V1.0 | Cleared | 05/09/2023 | JIF775 | Transferred to Key Advisor Advice Resources repository |
Note: Document uncontrolled in hard copy