MR25/00038 | FOI 24/25-0317 DOCUMENT 12

Advice Support Tool

Theme: Capital Purchase Sub-Theme(s): Dog Guide Vision and Dog Guide Vision Maintenance

Please note: Sub themes have been combined as the same reasonable and necessary considerations apply for a Capital (new) purchase animal or a request for ongoing maintenance costs. If a participant already has an assistance animal, and requests maintenance costs only, we first need to decide if the animal itself meets NDIS funding criteria. References:

NDIS Act 2013 Section 34 1. (a) - (f) and 2.

NDIS Support for Participant Rules 2013

NDIS Assistance animals including dog guides operational guideline A redacted template (DOCX) completed by a Guide Dog Mobility Instructor

Quote for dog guide, related training and ongoing maintenance

Note: All criteria need to be met for the supports to be funded through the NDIS.

Criteria for reasonable and necessary supports	Is criteria met?	Considerations (including evidence used)
34.1(a) Enabling the participant’s goals and objectives (supports will assist the participant to pursue the goals and objectives in their plan)	☐ Yes ☐ No	The participant may or may not have a goal explicitly related to the implementation of a dog guide however, advisor should consider how the support of dog guide is likely to assist the participant to achieve their NDIS plan goals. #=%
34.1(b) Assist the participant’s social and economic participation (supports will assist the participant to undertake activities to facilitate their social and economic participation)	☐ Yes ☐ No	To determine whether the animal will assist with social and economic participation, consider what social or economic activities the participant does currently redacted: s47E(d) - certain operations of agencies
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)	☐ Yes ☐ No	First dog guides

                                                    Have comparable supports or strategies been explored and reasons outlined why they could not achieve the same outcome at a substantially lower cost? `redacted`: s47E(d) - certain operations of agencies

Consider NDIS Support for Participant Rules 2013 Part 3.1 (a) — (f); What independent travel (with no support person) does the participant currently undertake including specific details (i.e. destinations, demands/complexity, frequency, duration)?

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Criteria for reasonable and necessary supports

is criteria met? considerations (including evidence used) 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 com of s paxil rane of

what are the participants current informal/formal support needs for senne mobility including specific support S47E)?

What are the travel routes the participant is expected to undertake with a dog guide and no support person, including specific details ?

how are the participant’s current informal/format support needs for community mobility expected to change with the implementation of a dog guide?

Consider that an assistance animal is a long term support (8-10 years). Has the Assessor considered any likely changes that may impact on the long term benefit of a dog guide.

note: generally, informal and/or NDIS funded supports to access community/sighted guide would be expected to reduce with the implementation of a dog guide. s47e(d) - certain operations of agencies replacement dog guides before expected service life (8 years)

what was the date of issue and retirement i.e., service life of the previous animal.?

what was the reason for early retirement [=

what evidence has been provided demonstrating the mitigation of risk of early retirement occurring again? S47e(d) - certain operations of agencies consider evidence of lived experience when comparing the participant’s support needs with

MR25/00038 | FOI 24/25-0317

Criteria for reasonable and necessary supports	Is criteria met?	Considerations (including evidence used)
Replacement dog guides at expected end of service life
Does the participant still demonstrate they have the capacity to travel independently (without a support person) with a dog guide and no support person?
s47E(d) – certain operations of agencies
a redacted: s47&(a)=tetainioperationsorasencies

34.1(d) Support is effective or beneficial for the participant

(\

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Criteria for reasonable and necessary supports

The table below outlines criteria, whether they are met, and associated considerations.

Criteria	Is criteria met?	Considerations (including evidence used)
34.1(e) Support coordinates with but does not replace informal support	No	s47E(d) – certain operations of agencies
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 https://www.legislation.gov.au/ Part 3.4
34.1(f) Support is most appropriately funded by the NDIS	Yes	Replacement dog guides before expected service life (8 years)
supports are not more appropriately funded or provided through other general service systems or universal service obligations
s47E(d) - certain operations of agencies
As per NDIS Assistance Animal including dog guides operational guidelines: “the provider of the assistance animal may be responsible for replacement costs under guarantee or additional warranty if it retires early.”
		s47E(d) – certain operations of agencies
Support will not cause harm	Yes	Is there evidence of any medical conditions that may impact on the participant’s ability to engage in a dog guide training program and /or current/ongoing ability to use a dog guide to access the community?
(Supports will not be funded if it is likely to cause harm to the participant or pose a risk to others, or the support would be contrary to a law of jurisdiction)
s47E(d) – certain operations of agencies
Consider NDIS Support for Participant Rules https://www.legislation.gov.au/ Part 5.1 and 5.3

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| Criteria for reasonable and necessary supports | Is criteria met? | Considerations (including evidence used) | |—|:–:|: | Support is directly related to the participant’s disability The following text was redacted redacted. (Supports will not be funded under the NDIS if they do not relate to the participant’s disability or are day-to-day expenses or income replacement). Consider NDIS Support Participant Rules 2013 Part 5.1 and 5.2 | Yes / No Selection Not Available | Has the dog guide been recommended to address functional impacts (vision) associated with the disability for which they gained access to the scheme? | | Support does not duplicate other supports The following text was redacted redacted. Supports do not duplicate other supports delivered under alternative funding through the NDIS such as Information, Linkages and Capacity Building (ILC) funding.) Consider NDIS SupportParticipant Rules 2013 Part 5.1 | Yes / No Selection Not Available | What environments will the dog guide access ==

Version Control

A table showing version control information:

| Version # | Status | Date | Modified By | Brief Description of Modification | |———–|–––––|————|“—–|–––––––––––––––––––| | V1.0 | Cleared | 31/08/2023 | TSA612 | 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