Independent Assessments

                                 Submission 187

Hello, I am a 37 year old woman from the Sunshine Coast, QLD with a diagnosis of ASD, ADHD, anxiety and depression. The NDIS has been an incredible help to me in managing the very severe impacts of these disabilities. I’ve come to realise that I need my NDIS supports and funding to help me to build capacity and achieve my goals.

I find it extremely concerning that the proposed process of these independent assessments only involves a 3 hour meeting. From my experience, three hours is not a sufficient amount of time for a healthcare professional to understand a participant, and their individual circumstances when there is no previous rapport between them. It’s impossible to understand how my disability affects me in such a short period of time. Having had numerous therapists, planners, coordinators and support workers during my personal journey I can testament to the importance of developing working relationships in relation to my disability needs. It is through rapport that the worker in question can truly come to know me, including all of the challenges, strengths and unique personal circumstances which impact upon my experiences of disability.

Putting me through an independent assessment will mean I have to talk to a complete stranger about my most vulnerable moments. This is hugely triggering for me as the social impacts of ASD mean that I find it challenging to communicate under pressure (with an unknown person, discussing all facets of my life and complex disability needs in a short period of time). This heightens my experiences of anxiety, which directly impacts my functioning in day to day life.

I have a fluctuating disability which alters my ability to communicate effectively and implement my executive functioning throughout the day and week. I find that the static nature of this assessment method does not accommodate for the variable impacts and complex nature of my disability, or those whose disability related impacts fluctuate on a regular basis. Holding an assessment over a three hour period runs the risk of encountering a participant at a time when they are not able to articulate themselves properly because of their disability.

In order to communicate a holistic picture of a persons life, including their needs, I recommend that this process does not replace the current model used for plan reviews and access requests. Under the current proposal, many people with a disability will struggle to adequately and comprehensively communicate what their needs are.

I have worked extremely hard to get the support and funding I knew I needed from NDIS. It is my hope that you consider the information in this submission and discontinue the implementation of the independent assessment of the process. This will ensure that the NDIS remains accessible for people with a variety of fluctuating social and psychosocial disabilities.