Supporting documents
Agency readiness Attachment A
NDIS Pathway Attachment B
NDIS Planning and Assessment Framework Attachment C
Participant Plan Attachment D
Complaints Handling and Internal Reviews Attachment E
Registration of Providers Attachment F
Engagement and Communication Attachment G
Fact Sheets: Attachment H
- SA Launch
- Tasmanian Launch
- Indigenous Australians
- Safeguards for the NDIS
- Choice and Control within the NDIS
- Early Intervention within the NDIS
- Service Providers- Access to NDIS IT System 1 of 25
Attachment A
Agency Readiness
Governance
The Agency corporate planning and risk management framework is progressing. Performance measures for the Scheme and for the Agency are currently under discussion with governments. A key component of our governance will be the principles around internal quality assurance, customer service charter and continual improvement principles. Participants and providers will be encouraged to submit feedback on options for how we can improve their experience throughout the launch. The outcomes of this feedback will inform improvements to agency operating processes and incorporated into learnings for full scheme rollout in NSW.
Operational Procedures and ICT
There is agreement from governments to the overall approach for the client pathway and this has been discussed with and refined on the basis of consultation with many different potential participants, wider community groups and providers. See Attachment A. The Agency, after consultation with governments and several of the Expert Working Groups, is close to finalising the nature and approach to the planning and assessment process that the Agency will use to guide decisions on the nature of supports that a participant might need to enable them to achieve their goals and participate in daily life.
The ICT core system build is progressing well and is being built concurrent with finalisation of legislation and rules. The Agency will be heavily dependent on the ICT capability to ensure effective and efficient delivery. In particular the capacity for providers to interact at low cost and with minimal impost has been a focus of design.
Key design elements reflected in Agency processes including ICT design are summarised below:
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Tell us once. Participants should only need to tell us once on any data captured.
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Keep it simple. Where possible, keep business processes and design outcomes as simple as possible.
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Efficient administration. Minimise administration overhead wherever possible.
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Devolved decision making. Client facing services and decision making should be local.
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Mobile workforce. Agency staff and LACs will be able to meet participants in their own environments.
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Disability exemplar. The Agency will be exemplary in providing accessible physical and electronic environments for people with disability, including staff and participants. Participants will be able to access their plan on-line. Providers will be able to submit claims for payment online. No special software will be required to access the Provider portal and a link to the portal will be available from the new NDIS Launch Transition Agency website (due to be launched in June) and related websites such as NDIS.gov.au.
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A key area for work over the next several months will be to collate material to guide decisions in relation to early intervention supports. We envisage establishing expert panel capabilities to advise on this evidence and to support the Agency in our continuous improvement.
Sector Development
The Agency has commissioned 73 projects under the Practical Design Fund which are designed to identify practical ways to prepare people with disability, their families and carers, the disability sector and workforce for the transition to a National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).
These projects will give individuals and organisations the opportunity to contribute to the implementation of the NDIS. It will also help prepare people with disability, their families and carers, the disability sector and workforce for the changes in how people choose and access disability supports under the NDIS.
The projects include innovative and new approaches that will:
- assist people with the transition to individualised and/or self-directed funding
- support people with disability to exercise choice and control
- support the growth and skilling of the disability workforce, and
- help transition disability service organisations to an NDIS environment, including providing person-centered support and managing individualised funding arrangements.
Bilateral discussions have commenced to progress implementation of activities against agreed priorities for the Sector Development Fund. We are very conscious that this is a change for the sector –providers, community and participants - but are confident that this can be managed during launch. One of our key areas of focus will be to understand and implement, in conjunction with governments, activities to ensure that the projected growth in the disability workforce is able to be achieved.
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Client, Program and Provider Transition
Discussions are well progressed with host jurisdictions on options for ensuring the gradual transition of clients from existing state and commonwealth program arrangements to the NDIS. We are conscious that this gradual transition will need to be clearly communicated and we are working towards having materials by April that explain how this gradual transition will be implemented.
Quality Assurance
The bilateral agreements require the Agency to use the existing quality assurance framework for providers of funded programs within each launch site subject to further development of and transition to a nationally consistent risk based quality assurance approach in the longer term. To ensure that the Agency is able to comply with these provisions we are in detailed discussion with each site to ensure that Agency procedures capture site specific compliance and reporting requirements.
People
The Agency has been able to attract strong and experienced management teams for all sites. Recruitment for planners has commenced and advertising for LACs (in Victoria and SA) and all other staff will be completed by mid-March. Planners will need to commence mid May to allow time for training. LACs – either staff or on a contracted basis will need to commence early June 2013. Additional staff will be appointed to match the gradual participant intake flows.
Finance and Reporting
The development of financial systems to support the Scheme is progressing well. We will be able to meet the financial reporting to governments required under the bilateral agreements. In particular, we have now appointed an independent actuary to guide the actuarial framework for the Scheme. This is informing the data that will be collected and the performance reporting that will be provided to governments.
Communications and Engagement
We have adopted a three phase approach to our communications and engagement to match the increasing level of detail on the operational elements of the scheme as we progress with the objective of providing clear and timely information to people with disability, their families, carers and service providers about the NDIS.
Our co-design activities with providers and the community continues with a clear focus on Agency operational design and we have held a number of forums and have many more planned during March. See details at Attachment A.
Information Management
We are conscious of the need to ensure that data relating to participants and others is respected and managed with a detailed compliance with all required privacy principles. To guide this work we have commenced a privacy impact assessment.
Site Implementation
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The Agency regional staff are increasing engagement at the local level with jurisdictions to design site specific working arrangements addressing bilateral obligations and interfaces with existing system requirements in each site.
- Offices will be established in the following locations o South Australia – St Mary’s and Elizabeth o Tasmania – Hobart, Launceston and Devonport o Victoria (Barwon Area) – Geelong and Colac (from Feb 2014) o NSW (Hunter Area) – Charlestown Contracts for construction managers for all sites are now in place with sites will become available from late May to early June.
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Attachment B
THE NDIS PATHWAY
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The NDIS Pathway diagram reflects the NDIS Bill 2012 (see diagram below). This is a stylised version of a more detailed diagram. This is what is being used with community forums.
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The Pathway reflects a client perspective, thus demonstrating how the pathway facilitates choice and control.
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The Pathway design includes key Scheme design elements to support sustainability of the Scheme through managing eligibility, ensuring people with disability are effectively linked to community and mainstream services and only have access to funded support where it is reasonable and necessary.
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The Pathway: o allows for a person to move around the pathway, as indicated by the arrows in the diagram, rather than it being a linear process;
o reflects client outcomes and financial sustainability of the Scheme o reflects a client perspective so as to demonstrate choice and control and individual capacity to inform and direct the process, with emphasis on the goals and aspirations of the individual in the planning and assessment section of the pathway; and
o makes available the functions of local area coordination and decision support as appropriate.
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The pathway uses a wide gateway to provide information about the NDIS for everyone through the Agency and multiple points in the broader human service system. The gateway harnesses generic disability, community and mainstream supports through local area coordination (LAC) and the Agency local presence. The LAC community development role and access to Tier 2 (generic disability) assistance are available in the gateway. Potential participants can also self-report support needs to inform access using the Agency self-reporting tool. This short tool asks demographic and support needs questions and will provide the individual with an indication as to their eligibility and, where likely to be eligible, they are encouraged to make contact with the Agency.
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Potential participants make initial contact with the Agency for preliminary assessment of access and risk and can be facilitated by a LAC. In this step the Agency determines access requests, priority for access and whether crisis support or a ‘light touch’ approach is required for some participants. Local area coordination is available to support mainstream connection and goal setting for the participant statement of goals and aspirations. This decision will be delegated to local Agency employees by the CEO.
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The planning and assessment step brings together the participant’s statement with their support needs identified through goal based planning. The statement of participant supports is finalised including informal care, mainstream and community services, local area coordination (where chosen) and reasonable and necessary supports (checked against the reference package). Planning is done by the 6 of 25
participant and Agency, with local area coordination and design and decision support assistance where required. Using these inputs the Agency determines the participant their statement of participant’s supports, how the plan will be managed and, where included, the reasonable and necessary funding for supports and the scheduled review date for the plan. This decision will be delegated to local Agency planners by the CEO.
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The next step is implementing the plan and organising supports where the participant, with or without assistance, organises supports and implements their plan. Assistance can be provided by Agency, design and decision support and financial and service intermediaries depending on the choices made.
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The participant, their identified supports and the Agency play the key roles in monitoring the plan.
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During plan review the outcomes of the participant’s plan will be measured by the participant and the Agency against the participant’s goals and objectives over time. The participant can ask for their plan to be reviewed if their circumstances change. Local Agency planners are delegated by the CEO to review participants’ plans for both scheduled reviews and when participants request a review.
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Page 8 of 25
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Attachment C
NDIS Planning and Assessment Framework
Proposed Approach to goal based planning and support needs assessment
The Agency approach takes into account the focus of the Scheme on choice and control and the need for flexibility, recognising that not all individuals will progress through all of the processes from access request, goal based planning to statements of support, plan implementation and subsequent reviews in a linear manner. It reflects the insurance based approach which requires the process to interface with the reference packages for the Scheme to inform decisions on Scheme sustainability and reasonable and necessary supports including levels of investment..
The design of the NDIS requires the planning and assessment framework to provide a dual focus on both planning and assessment with a consistent but responsive approach to identifying support needs within a goal based planning conversation that acknowledges individual goals and aspirations.
It is intended that where a participant’s requirements do not indicate a support needs assessment, this will not be undertaken. This is likely to be the situation where a person’s goals and needs can be met through mainstream and or community supports and possibly the assistance of Local Area Coordination (LAC) and/or one off supports, such as an item of equipment.
NDIS Planning and Assessment Toolkits (Adult and Child versions) have been developed for launch for use where required as part of the goal based planning conversation, which is designed to:
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confirm eligibility (where this is not clear);
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build on participants’ self-reported support needs information;
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identify the areas and extent of functional impacts arising from participants’ disabilities;
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describe specific support needs in detail;
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identify where specialised assessment or early intervention may be needed;
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assess risks and, where necessary, identify safeguards;
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inform the development of participants’ plans; and
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assist in ensuring that participants receive reasonable and necessary supports appropriate for their individual needs and goals.
Individual goals and objectives will be measured against personal outcomes, such as goal attainment, wellbeing, social and economic participation, independence, developing and maintaining relationships and personal resilience. The approach also uses the World Health Organisation International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) as the common and linking design feature across all processes including reference packages, thus enabling data to be interrogated for common support needs and funded supports.
In addition to being designed to support the NDIS focus on choice and control and understanding an individual’s goals and circumstances, the structure and content of the NDIS Planning and Assessment Toolkits are based on the following principles: 9 of 25
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linking to the ICF – the contemporary internationally-recognised standard for assessing and classifying functioning and disability;
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ensuring that as a part of the planning and assessment process that where participants needs are most appropriately met by other mainstream systems they will be directed there;
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using a functional assessment approach (i.e. assessment based on what a person can do or would like to be able to do, rather than a medical diagnosis-based approach);
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minimising the assessment burden for participants including utilising existing Commonwealth and State assessment information where relevant;
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ensuring that the assessment process is cost-effective; and
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using a flexible assessment process that can be tailored to individual circumstances Planning and assessment framework for launch
The NDIS planning and assessment framework uses a multi-layered structure to provide a flexible, efficient and individualised approach centred on goals, aspirations and support needs with assessment only when required (see diagram below). The following outlines the approach for prospective participants.
The proposed stages of NDIS planning and assessment build on each other to ensure that individuals do not need to provide information more than once, and are as follows:
- NDIS Self-report – to inform access request decisions – a concise summary self- report by prospective participants for the NDIS.
a. Available in multiple formats, assistance to complete the self-report tool will be available if required.
b. Tool will help people screen themselves out where they are clearly ineligible for Scheme supports.
c. This data will also provide information for evaluation by recording information about those who test their eligibility for the Scheme, and for those found eligible to capture their own perspective on support needs.
- Development of Participant Plan: a. Participant statement of goals and aspirations is prepared by the participant as part of the planning process with assistance if required.
i. Will be able to be received in multiple formats such as short media clips. ii. Collects goals, aspirations, personal environment and context to inform goal based planning discussion. iii. Strength-based. iv. Planning tools and planning and decision supports will be available.
b. Participant goal based planning and assessment of support needs - addressing principles such as choice and control, building capacity, inclusion, participation and independence.
The goal based planning conversation will use a strength based methodology. Agency planners will be trained in this approach which will draw on research and better practice. Training will also go to ensuring the participant’s choice and control and making information available to inform choice where this is needed.
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The detailed assessment sections cover the range of ICF functional domains and also collect information relating to specific assistive technology needs, supports and services, carer needs for sustaining care and risk assessment.
Unlike the Disability Support Pension assessment, these tools do not measure severity of disability or impairment.
There is also capacity for a separate conversation with carers which will take into account their circumstances, capacity and plans relevant to their caring roles and the sustainability of informal care arrangements. Supports required for sustaining care will be informed by the toolkits.
c. Assessing Risks - The NDIS Toolkits (Adult or Child) also facilitate the consideration of risks, where required, associated with
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delivery of supports;
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circumstances and living arrangements; and
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any impact of the person’s behaviour on themselves or others. This risk assessment will then guide the planner in the development of appropriate safeguards for the participant.
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Approved Statement of Supports – this is compiled by the planner, by working with the participant and taking into consideration the Participant Statement, including goals, objectives and aspirations; the assessment of the participant’s support needs including determining reasonable and necessary funded supports; and checks against reference package parameters.
The NDIS may undertake a support needs assessment for people who do not have relevant existing or previous assessments or when a person wishes to test whether they should receive additional support. Planners will use a consistent set of tools for assessing support needs. Specialist assessments will also be arranged, if required, such as an occupational therapist assessment for specialist equipment.
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NDIS planning and assessment framework
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Attachment D
Participant Plan
As part of the participant’s plan, the Statement of Supports is developed by the Agency in response to the participant’s support needs, goals and aspirations, circumstances and informal supports. It is an estimate of their reasonable and necessary supports over the expected 12 month life of the plan.
Flexibility in the Statement of Supports will be accommodated in two ways:
- Recognising that needs fluctuate over time; and
- Enabling flexibility between items classed as flexible.
Background
The NDIS Bill 2012 requires a plan to include:
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a participant statement of goals and aspirations;
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a statement of general supports (eg local area coordination);
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which supports are funded;
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how the plan and funds will be managed; and
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when the plan will be reviewed. The participant plan will also include the following components:
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consideration of results of any assessment of functional capacity where support is needed including o the participant’s self-reported support needs o any support needs assessment undertaken by or on behalf of the Agency o any existing relevant assessments provided by the participant o any risk assessment undertaken by the Agency;
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planned outcomes for the participant such as: o wellbeing; o independence; o social, civil and economic participation; o developing and maintaining relationships; and o choice and control.
These components are illustrated in the diagram below.
Flexibility in plans
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The Bill requires that a participant must spend the funds received in accordance with the participant’s plan and that supports may be described generally in a plan or specifically identified.
The planning process will have taken into account choice and control and recognise that flexibility is needed to allow purchasing of some supports to adjust to changes in people’s circumstances.
The plan will support flexibility in sourcing supports, regardless of how or by whom the plan is being managed, by:
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providing information to individuals to support choice during planning and the implementation of the plan;
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building the individual’s capacity, where required, to exercise choice and control;
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ensuring that supports are age and life stage appropriate and take into account developmental needs, particularly for children;
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recognising that individual needs vary from week to week as part of normal life and therefore providing flexibility in the quantum and frequency of all supports purchased over the life of the participant’s plan, as long as the total value of the plan is not exceeded;
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acknowledging that the basis for determining the level of supports included in the plan is based on a best estimate at the time the plan is developed, thus requiring an approach that allows some overs and unders between relevant funded supports.
The policy intention is that participants should have the same degree of flexibility regardless of whether they choose to self-manage their plan (or some or all items in it) or if they ask the Agency to manage their plan (or some or all items in it).
However, some funded supports will be the specific purpose of achieving improved outcomes. For example, early interventions underpin the insurance approach by taking a lifetime view of the individual. Investing in people early is made to ensure that over the long term, outcomes for individuals and the community are maximised and the scheme’s liabilities are minimised:
It is intended that investment and early intervention support items will be fixed with no flexibility to spend these funds on other supports. This is to ensure that anticipated outcomes are achieved:
- quotes be required for high cost items where prices may be variable and difficult to accurately estimate eg home modifications and electric wheel chairs; and For remaining supports, participants will have choice and flexibility to purchase more or less of these supports in their plan (to the total value of the flexible items in their plan), enabling for example less expenditure on taxis and more on self-care, where they believe this assists them to achieve their goals and outcomes.
The following diagram seeks to demonstrate the golden thread flowing from goals and aspirations through supports and leading to outcomes.
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Participant Statement of Goals and Aspirations
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Prepared by the participant (with assistance from Planner, LAC and/or family/carer where needed) Includes
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Goals, objectives, aspirations of the participant ¢ Environmental and personal context including ¢ Living arrangements ¢ Informal community supports and other community supports, and ¢ Social and economic participation
Assessment
¢ Identifies functional areas where support is needed, including supports for sustaining informal care arrangements (by ICF category)
- Risk assessment
Statement of Implementing
Participant Supports | | supports in the plan
rranging Prepared WITH the participant to * General supports (including identify the range of supports to capacity building for planning achieve their goals and objectives and exercising control, and reflect their choice and desired information and referral level of control and identify: services)
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General supports (coordination, * Access to mainstream and & referral service , LAC) community supports
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Supporting sustainable informal * Plan management supports care Purchasing
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Developing and maintaining * ICF based Activities/supports + natural supports and carer/family support for community connections sustaining informal care and
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Access to mainstream and building capacity of the community supports participant’s carer
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Reasonable and necessary * Fixed supports - no flexibility supports that will be funded in funding items under NDIS ¢ Flexible support items —
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Date by which, or flexibility in funding items circumstances in which, the Reviewing Agency must review the plan * progress toward goals,
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The management of the funding objectives and outcomes for supports under the plan * Impact on personal outcomes ¢ The management of other aspects of the plan
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Attachment E
Complaints Handling and Internal and External Reviews
Customer feedback, including complaints, provides people with a disability and disability service providers with an important opportunity to improve the quality of disability services.
The following values, which guide the way the Agency approaches its work, will apply to the system adopted for managing complaints:
Rights: the Agency upholds the right of people with a disability to give feedback and complain about disability services.
Respect: the Agency takes all feedback, including complaints, seriously and treats all parties with dignity, sensitivity and courtesy.
Fairness: the Agency seeks to resolve complaints by having a fair process. All staff will communicate openly and honestly and listen carefully to what all parties say about the complaints that are made.
The Agency will invite feedback from participants, their family, providers and the public on the operation of the Scheme and will collate data from feedback received to provide the qualitative information for Scheme improvement. All comments received will be captured in a central data base and analysed for system improvement.
The most important aspect of Agency feedback is the subject of complaints received and the manner in which they are managed.
All associated with the Agency will be provided with information on the Complaints Management system and invited to contact the Agency as soon as they encounter a problem. Contact can be by phone, email, mail or in person. People will be provided with assistance in lodging a complaint.
When a complaint is received, it will be logged in the IT system and dealt with by Agency administrative support staff (if straightforward) in the Launch site or escalated to an appropriate person in the same office.
If the complaint is transferred, the transferring officer will advise the person complaining that the staff member receiving the complaint will get back in touch with the complainant within 48 hours to clarify the subject of the complaint and advise the manner in which it will be managed.
Following the principles underlying the operation of the Scheme, all complaints will be dealt with transparently, in accordance with published policy, and swiftly. The complainant will be kept informed of progress along the way.
At times, the subject of a complaint may also be the subject of a Merits Review but this will not prevent the complaints management system being applied as this may result in faster resolution of the problem. Agency staff handling the Merits Review will be different personnel form those managing the complaint.
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During the period of the launch, State registered providers of supports will remain subject to the complaints management systems that operate in the host jurisdictions. The details of these arrangements are being documented with host jurisdictions so that staff in launch sites understand their responsibilities for informing local authorities and to ensure there is efficient and appropriate management of the issue for the person.
Internal Review
Internal review is available for any decision listed in clause 99 of the NDIS Bill. Almost all decisions in the Bill are reviewable.
A person requesting a review may be a participant, prospective participant, provider of supports, a nominee or person who was rejected when applying to be a nominee, a person who has been denied responsibility for representing a child participant.
All decisions which are adverse or which differ from what the affected person expected will be accompanied by a set of reasons in plain English.
A person dissatisfied with an adverse decision can contact the original decision maker who can change the decision. The person can be assisted by a support person.
This should be useful in cases where the reasons for decision show that a relevant matter may have been overlooked, misunderstood or given too little weight. It may also be useful where the person had difficulty accessing or understanding the reasons. Contact can be face to face or by telephone or electronic means.
If the person wishes to go further they contact the Agency and request a review. The request should be made within 3 months of receiving the notice of the decision. Extensions of time can be granted. A request can be in writing (including electronically), or made by telephone or other means. [Clause 100]
The CEO refers a request for review to a review officer who was not involved in the original decision. The intention is that reviews are handled at the local level where at all possible. The review officer must make a decision as soon as reasonably practicable. [Clause 100]
The person is able to speak with the review officer. This can be by telephone or in an Agency office or in the person’s home in an appropriate case. This is to ensure that the person has a clear opportunity to present their case and the review officer can clarify any issues that are unclear about the person’s case. A support person in these discussions can assist the person.
In a difficult or novel matter the review officer can seek assistance from one or more members of a panel of experts to assist in the decision making. The panel contains experts from fields including law, medicine, rehabilitation science and other disciplines of relevance.
Any opinion from the panel of experts will be made available to the person and their support person. The review officer may confirm, vary or set aside the reviewable decision. [Clause 100] A full set of reasons accompanies the decision of the review officer.
The reasons for decision advise the person of the next level of review, external review by the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT), how to contact the Agency’s complaints resolution service or the Commonwealth Ombudsman in case the person has complaints about the review system or the Agency’s operations more generally.
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Attachment F
Registration of Providers
Provider registration is critical to enable:
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a listing of potential providers to inform participant decision making, while noting providers can join this listing at any time;
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payments to be systematically made where the plan or elements are not self managed;
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information on supports and related information such as compliance with relevant regulations is known and maintained by the provider.
It is planned that providers will register with the Agency to indicate the supports that they can provide to participants and to enable payments by the Agency for supports delivered.
If the funding for supports is managed by the Agency, these supports must be provided by a registered provider.
Self-managed funding of supports
When a person is self-managing their plan and directly purchasing supports, they have the freedom to purchase supports from any provider. The provider is always required to deliver supports that achieve the purposes set out in the participant’s plan.
Participants who self-manage will engage, direct and pay providers for the supports in accordance with their plan.
The Agency will make an initial advance payment to the participant, in accordance with the estimated costs of supports in their plan. On receipt of an acquittal statement from the participant, the next advance payment will be made.
All participants who choose to self-manage will receive a comprehensive information pack covering how to choose a provider, requirements for directly employing support staff and options if that is not preferred.
Alternatives to Self-Management
The Bill (s44) allows the CEO to restrict a person’s management of all or part of their plan where this may present an unreasonable risk to the participant.
A decision by the CEO as to whether a participant can self-manage will be informed by an assessment of the level of risk to that person given their degree of vulnerability and possibility of harm, their capacity to select and manage support arrangements, and their social circumstances such as the presence of a supportive network .
A decision to not allow a person to self-manage is a reviewable decision.
Agency managed funding of supports - registration requirements
The NDIS Bill and Rules aim to achieve a balance between effective choice and control for participants and management of risks for vulnerable people. The Bill requires that the CEO be satisfied that a provider meets the criteria prescribed by the Rules. The draft Rules set out the following criteria for registration:
- An ABN and account with a financial institution (to enable efficient payments by the
Agency)
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- Agreement to the Agency’s terms of business
- Compliance with workplace and employment laws (if an employer)
- Compliance with criminal laws
- Qualifications, experience and capacity to provide supports for which they wish to be registered
The level of qualification, experience and capacity will be considered in relation to the type and level of risk associated with the support to be provided.
In accordance with the Bilateral Agreements, the existing safeguards and quality assurance systems of host jurisdictions in the launch sites will be utilised. These systems recognise the National Quality Framework and the revised National Standards for Disability Services which are currently being finalised.
Payments to providers
When the Agency is managing the funding of supports, providers deliver the supports in the plan and make claims for payments online. Claims can be made as frequently as the provider chooses. Valid claims submitted electronically will be paid within 2 working days. Paper invoices will be processed and paid within 30 days. It is expected the majority of providers will choose to claim online.
Plan Management
If seeking to be registered for managing the funding of supports, , it is intended that the Plan Management Provider be assessed as suitable to manage funding if they meet the following criteria:
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qualifications relevant to the management of a participant’s funding; and
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experience and capacity to manage the funding of supports. Participants will be able to choose to engage a provider that delivers both supports and manages the funding for their supports. However when the provider seeks to be registered to provide supports and manage funds on behalf of a participant, they also need to demonstrate they have mechanisms in place for dealing with the (perceived) conflict of interest. Revoking registration Under the Rules, the CEO may revoke a provider’s registration, subject to the natural justice provisions in the Bill, if the provider:
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fails to continue to meet applicable criteria as above;
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contravenes Agency’s Terms of Business;
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fails to notify the Agency of complaints or actions against the provider by responsible authorities.
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Attachment G
Engagement and Communication
Overview of NDIS Launch Transition Agency engagement activity Over the past six months the Agency has initiated or been involved in close to 300 separate presentations, engagement and consultation sessions and meetings across the country, with most activity being concentrated in the four launch sites that are to commence operating in July 2013 (SA, Tasmania, NSW, Victoria). See tables below on engagement activity specific to launch sites. It does not include national forums.
Engagements have taken different formats including public forums, industry presentations, targeted engagements, and collaborative design (co-design) workshops and meetings and have involved people with disability, their carers and families, service providers, industry groups and representative organisations including peak bodies.
The focus of these engagements has been on informing attendees about the NDIS and progress towards launch, and preparing stakeholders in launch sites for the commencement of and transition to the scheme. Targeted sessions such as co-design with potential participants have been used to help develop and validate aspects of the design of the Agency’s operational systems and processes.
Phase 1 engagement from September to December 2012 aimed to identify stakeholders and gather information about engagement activity preferences in the period up to launch by:
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Encouraging participation and engagement through Agency led presentations and forums, first of round co-design workshops;
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Finding out about the types of engagement activities desired and the language the communities use; and,
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Establishing participant, service provider and host jurisdiction priorities for engagement activities up to launch in July 2013. Feedback received from participants and providers during phase one has guided Agency development and refinement of:
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Agency shopfront look, feel, location and amenity
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Agency workforce needs, including recruitment practices, skills and attributes, and training programs
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Provided direction for phase 2 engagement activity. Phase 2 engagement between January and March 2013 is intended to provide progress updates to stakeholders and more detail on a range of topics. Activity in this phase will:
-
Provide more detail on what each site will deliver by developing nationally consistent materials for state and territory based Agency offices;
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Manage community expectations by explaining how and when the local community might access the scheme, noting the tension with legislation and further bilateral negotiations;
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Publish content, including schedule of publicly available engagement activities, on the NDIS website;
-
Promote better practice in local individualised support by building interest and encourage readiness;
20 of 25
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Encourage participation and engagement through participant and provider co-design workshops, public forums, Agency led presentations and publication of supporting communications material; and
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Promote job opportunities in the Agency and related scheme roles. Phase 3 engagement between April and July 2013 will be more frequent and intensive. The Agency will:
-
Continue to manage expectations on launch by providing greater clarity based on fully resolved legislation and bilateral agreements;
-
Engage more closely with the NGO sector;
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Providing further detailed information about time frames for each launch site by developing nationally consistent materials for state and territory based Agency offices;
-
Publishing content on the Agency website;
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Communicating what people with disability/their family/carers need to do, and what they need to start thinking about in preparation for their conversation with the Agency;
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Communicate detailed processes to disability service providers through Agency state and territory based offices;
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Continue to promote better practice in service provider forums and by sharing outputs from the Practical Design Fund program; and
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Conduct launch events in each launch site and manage related press and stakeholder interface.
The scope of launch focussed engagement will ensure that community expectations are managed and that the Agency’s operational policy is ‘fit for purpose’ and that its processes and systems are shaped to take account of the needs and preferences of people with disability, their families and carers.
Co-design insights to date Valuable design insight has been gathered by the Agency into how to optimise systems, services, and processes so as to realise high quality outcomes for both the Agency and for scheme participants. Understanding of complex workforce development and sustainment issues, including job role definition, employee skills requirements and training needs; have been distilled and translated into tangible requirements. These requirements are informing the development of operational procedures, governance mechanisms and policies ahead of Agency launch in July 2013. Awareness has been raised within the Agency of how scheme participants define ‘choice and control’, and expect these principles to be embodied in all dimensions of the NDIS, not just in the sourcing of services and supports. Significantly, insights into the balance that must be struck between the pursuit of Agency outcomes, and the realisation of outcomes for people with disability have been gathered. There is a need to ensure that we aren’t asking participants to “constantly measure and evaluate their lives”.
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Table 1. Victorian Engagement
Stakeholder Group
Activity Providers Government Clients All Total
Geelong
Meeting with 24 10 - - 23
Presentation at 1 - 3 - 4
Workshop with - - 3 - 3
Public Forum - 2 - - 2 4
One on one conversation with - - - - -
Total 27 10 6 2 34
Melbourne
Meeting with 5 7 - - 12
Presentation at - 1 3 2 6
Workshop with 2 - - 1 3
Public Forum - - - - - -
One on one conversation with - - - - -
Total 7 8 3 3 21
Other Victoria
Meeting with 5 1 - - 6
Presentation at 1 - - 1 2
Workshop with - - - - -
Public Forum - - - - - -
One on one conversation with - - - - -
Total 6 1 0 1 8
Grand Totals 40 19 9 6 74
Table 2. South Australian Engagement
Stakeholder Group
Activity Providers Government Clients All Total
Adelaide
Meeting with 44 12 2 - 58
Presentation at 5 1 1 - 7
Workshop with 4 - 1 - 5
Public Forum - 1 - 1 1 3
One on one conversation with - - - - -
Total 54 13 5 1 73
Other South Australia
Meeting with 6 2 - - 8
Presentation at - - - - -
Workshop with 2 - 1 - 3
Public Forum - - - - 1 1
One on one conversation with - - - - -
Total 8 2 1 1 12
Grand Totals 62 15 6 2 85
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Table 3. Tasmanian Engagements
Stakeholder Group
Activity Providers Government Clients All Total
Hobart
Meeting with 19 8 - 1 28
Presentation at 7 - 2 - 9
Workshop with 1 - 1 - 2
Public Forum - - - - 1 1
One on one conversation with - - 2 - 2
Total 27 8 5 2 42
Other Tasmania
Meeting with 1 3 2 - 6
Presentation at 1 - 1 - 2
Workshop with - - 2 - 2
Public Forum - - - - - -
One on one conversation with - - - - -
Total 2 3 5 0 10
Grand Totals 29 11 10 2 52
Table 4. New South Wales Engagement
Stakeholder Group
Activity Providers Government Clients All Total
Newcastle
Meeting with - 4 - - 4
Presentation at - - 1 2 3
Workshop with 4 - 1 1 6
Public Forum - 1 - - 1 2
One on one conversation with - - - - -
Total 5 4 2 4 15
Sydney
Meeting with 1 1 - - 2
Presentation at 2 - - - 2
Workshop with 2 - - - 2
Public Forum - 1 - - 1 2
One on one conversation with - - - - -
Total 6 1 0 1 8
Grand Totals 11 5 2 5 23
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Table 5. Queensland Engagement
Stakeholder Group
Activity Providers Government Clients All Total
Queensland
Meeting with - - - - -
Presentation at - - - - -
Workshop with 1 - - - 1
Public Forum - - - - 1 1
One on one conversation with - - - - -
Total 1 0 0 1 2
Table 6. Australian Capital Territory Engagement
Stakeholder Group
Activity Providers Government Clients All Total
Canberra
Meeting with 1 2 - - 3
Presentation at 2 4 - - 6
Workshop with 2 - 1 1 4
Public Forum - - - - - -
One on one conversation with - - - - -
Total 5 6 1 1 13
Table 7. Western Australian Engagement
Stakeholder Group
Activity Providers Government Clients All Total
Perth
Meeting with 3 4 - - 7
Presentation at - - - 1 1
Workshop with 1 - - - 1
Public Forum - 1 - - - 1
One on one conversation with - - - - -
Total 5 4 0 1 10
Other Western Australia
Meeting with - 1 - - 1
Presentation at - - - - -
Workshop with - - - - -
Public Forum - - - - - -
One on one conversation with - - - - -
Total 0 1 0 0 1
Grand Totals 5 5 0 1 11
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ATTACHMENT H
Copies of fact sheets:
- SA Launch
- Tasmanian Launch
- Indigenous Australians
- Safeguards for the NDIS
- Choice and Control within the NDIS
- Early Intervention within the NDIS
- Service Providers- Access to NDIS IT System 25 of 25
About the first stage of the NDIS This means that children who are eligible will in South Australia have individually tailored support from a young age, providing them with the right services to The first stage of a National Disability Insurance meet their individual needs. Scheme (NDIS) will launch in South Australia on 1 July 2013. The NDIS will work with families to plan and
arrange the support needed for their child. This In South Australia, the launch will be rolled out planning will recognise that each child and family over three years for about 5,000 children up to 14 is unique in terms of their needs and the support years of age, including children who are already required. receiving support.
The NDIS will improve the delivery of support The first year of the launch will focus on children services and care across South Australia, from birth to five years of age who have including regional and remote areas, to help permanent and significant disability or who would improve family life and community participation. benefit from early intervention, regardless of
where they live in the state.
From July 2014, the NDIS will be available to
children with disability from birth to 13 years of
age and by July 2015 all children with disability
up to 14 years of age will be included.
Why a focus on children?
A priority for the launch in South Australia is to
provide children with the best possible start in life
and to assist families to provide the best possible
support for their children.
Early intervention is a key of the launch there is nothing you need to do right feature of the NDIS now.
Early intervention aims to give each child the best For children currently receiving disability start in life by providing support as early as services, the NDIS personal planning process will possible. start with infants from mid-2013, with preschool
aged children starting in early 2014. For infants and young children with disability or developmental delay, early intervention improves Families will be able to choose to manage their development and the ability to participate in their child’s plan or have help to find and connect with family and community. local support services.
The latest research will inform the type of early The first stage of the launch in South Australia intervention that will be available. For children, will help to shape the development and the focus will be on interventions with the management of a national launch. greatest potential for making a difference throughout the child’s life. Detailed implementation arrangements for the full
scheme are currently being discussed between The NDIS will also work with local communities to all governments. develop ideas into options to help meet the need of children with disability. More Information
The NDIS Local Area Coordinators will assist More detailed information about how the scheme
people with disability transition to the NDIS, will work in South Australia will be posted on the
building support systems that connect families NDIS website as it becomes available.
with local and community based supports, such
as health and education. You can also register your details on the NDIS
website to receive regular updates. What happens next? Or call the NDIS Hotline on 1800 800 110 for From the middle of 2013, families with children more information. from birth to five years of age will be able to apply
to participate in the NDIS. They will then work
with the NDIS Launch Transition Agency to
develop a personal plan which will include the
right supports provided by the NDIS.
If you are a parent of a child aged birth to five
years who is likely to be eligible for the first year
The first stage of a National Disability Insurance The NDIS in Tasmania will: Scheme (NDIS) will commence in Tasmania from
1 July 2013. support young people in their journey
as they transition from leaving It will be rolled out across the state for about 1,000 secondary education and move on to eligible young people aged 15 to 24. further education, vocational training or employment; The NDIS will provide an opportunity to examine work with young people and theirand improve the range of supports that need to be families to plan and arrange thein place for young people with disability to ensure supports needed that will help them ina smooth transition between school and work or their everyday life. This planning willhigher education. recognise that each individual, including their family, and eachWhy focus on young people? community is unique in terms of theirA priority for the launch of the NDIS in needs and priorities;Tasmania is to provide young people with disability the opportunity to improve the way improve the delivery of support they receive and choose support services to services and care across the state, meet their individual needs. which will help make a real improvement in family life and This means that young people will have community participation; individually tailored supports, which will help
them to live independently, participate more in work with local communities to develop
the community, and make their own choices a range of options for community about the supports they need to achieve their involvement for young people with a goals. disability.
Support for this age group is essential as NDIS Local Area Coordinators will also help young people are at a transitional stage in build and support informal support systems their lives where they’re growing, learning and and connect people with mainstream services, thinking about moving on to new and exciting including local and community based supports. things. They will also help to create natural support networks for people with disability
What happens next? Tasmanian Gateway Services
From mid-2013 young people will be able to and the NDIS undertake an assessment and planning process.
About Gateway Services
Following this process, young people will be able Some people in Tasmania may already be to choose whether they want to administer their working through Gateway Services (Mission funding package, or they can choose help to find Australia or Baptcare). The aim of Gateway and connect with supports and mainstream Services is to provide a single access point for services, such as health and education. individuals, agencies, services, and other professionals such as teachers, community Lessons learned through the first stage of launch agencies and general practitioners to refer for young people aged between 15 and 24 will be clients for services and to obtain information shared with other jurisdictions to help shape the and advice in relation to disability services in development and management of a national each area. launch. Will the NDIS change the way Gateway Implementation arrangements are currently being Services operate in my area? discussed between all governments. As more You and your family or carers may have been in detailed information becomes available about how contact with Tasmania’s Gateway Services. the scheme will work in Tasmania, this will be posted on the NDIS website. If the Tasmanian Gateway Services are aware of your needs, and you have been added to a Needs Register for support, then the NDIS Agency will be in contact with you at some time after 1 July 2013.
The NDIS and the Tasmanian Gateway Services
will work together and with you, your family and/or carer after 1 July 2013, so you won’t have to provide the same information twice.
For more information
For more information go to www.ndis.gov.au or call the NDIS Hotline on 1800 800 110.
Make sure you have Your Say and tell us your thoughts on an NDIS – go to www.ndis.gov.au/
INDIGENOUS AUSTRALIANS
As part of the development of the National For some Indigenous people, remoteness of Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), Australian communities is a significant constraint to getting governments are working to ensure the scheme the support they need. meets the needs of Indigenous Australians. The introduction of the NDIS should be an This factsheet shows some of the first thinking on opportunity to improve the access of Indigenous the best ways the NDIS can make sure Australians to disability supports and improve their Indigenous people with disability get the supports lives. they need. The purpose of the fact sheet is to The NDIS should make it easier for all people with update people with disability, their families and disability to get the supports they need and to carers, and the community, about the design of improve their lives. Indigenous Australians with the NDIS. disability, their families and carers will be able to choose what supports they need and to control INDIGENOUS AUSTRALIANS where, when and how they get the supports.
AND DISABILITY
Why is it important to ensure that the What will be done to make sure that NDIS meets the needs of Indigenous the NDIS meets the needs of Australians? Indigenous Australians?
Across Australia but particularly in remote parts of The following steps will be taken to ensure the the country there are a number of differences in NDIS meets the needs of Indigenous Australians, the way Indigenous Australians view disability. including:
According to the First Peoples Disability Network 1. The NDIS will check to make sure that many Indigenous people with disability do not Indigenous people with disability get the identify as having a disability. This may partly be supports they need from the scheme. due to reluctance to take on additional labels of 2. The NDIS will work with Indigenous people with disadvantage, as well as a markedly different disability to make sure they know about the approach to disability historically among NDIS. Indigenous peoples of Australia
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The NDIS will talk with Indigenous families and Indigenous Australians have a significantly higher communities about how the NDIS can help rate of disability compared to non-indigenous them get the support they need. people and many currently experience difficulties
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The NDIS will ensure that Indigenous peopleand barriers to accessing the supports they need have a chance get jobs and work in the NDIS.because many mainstream services are not perceived as culturally appropriate or accessible.
Produced by the Australian, State and Territory Governments
What is being done to prepare the NDIS launch sites to meet the needs NEXT STEPS of Indigenous Australians with disability? All Australian governments are carefully considering how to make sure that Indigenous The first stage of the NDIS will be launched in Australians share in the benefits of the NDIS. South Australia, Tasmania, the ACT, the Hunter in NSW and the Barwon area of Victoria. The Australian Government has set up an Advisory Group to provide specialist advice onThe NDIS Launch Transition Agency has the design of the NDIS, and work with peoplestarted work to prepare launch sites to make with disability, their families and carers, and thesure they meet the needs of Indigenous people disability sector to get their views.with disability.
The NDIS Advisory Group will consider theseThe NDIS Launch Transition Agency is doing ideas as part of what they tell the governmentsthis by: about the NDIS. working with local communities to understand the best ways that Indigenous people with disability can get the supports HAVE YOUR SAY that they need Over the next few months workshops will be
building bridges into Indigenous held in each of the launch locations to look at
communities through trusted how the first stage of the NDIS should work. intermediaries Indigenous people with disability, their families and carers and members of their communities training Local Area Coordinators (LACs) will be asked to take part in these workshops. and planners in the best ways to work with Indigenous people with disability, their For further information on the NDIS you are families and carers and Indigenous encouraged to visit www.ndis.gov.au and communities subscribe to regular updates, as well as share your views on the ‘Your Say’ online forum. ensuring that Indigenous people with disability and their families, carers and communities are aware of the NDIS and the supports available under a scheme
looking at ways to make sure the supports that an Indigenous person with a disability receives make a difference to their life
gathering information about how supports assist a person to help the scheme to work properly.
Produced by the Australian, State and Territory Governments
As part of the work to develop the National Standards for Disability Services are currently Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), Australian being reviewed and will be revised for the full governments are considering how the scheme national scheme. should support people with disability through safeguards. Why are safeguards necessary? Safeguards are important to help a person This fact sheet outlines initial thinking about what minimise risk and provide avenues for people to safeguards are and what they might look like have decisions reviewed or reconsidered, and under the NDIS. The purpose of the fact sheet is make complaints. Safeguards are also important to update people with disability, their families and at a broader level to help improve the services carers, and the community, about the design of organisations provide. the NDIS.
Many people with disability will not need to use UNDERSTANDING formal safeguards. However, some people may SAFEGUARDS benefit from these extra protections.
What are safeguards? Safeguards should occur with minimal restriction Safeguards aim to balance the need to protect to a person’s choice and control, recognising the rights of people to be safe from the risk of their ability to take risks and make mistakes. harm, abuse and neglect, while maximising the choice and control they have over their lives. SAFEGUARDS UNDER THE NDIS
For most people the most effective safeguards What principles should underpin the are natural safeguards, such as personal safeguards?relationships and community connections. The following principles have been proposed toIn addition to natural safeguards, a range of guide how safeguards might support peopleformal safeguards exist in the current disability under the NDIS:system.
- Choice and control: the NDIS shouldOne example is the National Standards for maximise opportunities for people withDisability Services. These set out how supports disability to make decisions about theirare to be provided to meet people’s needs, support and the management of their fundingrespect their rights and ensure that they are safe arrangements.and receive quality services. The National
Produced by the Australian, State and Territory Governments
• Risk-based and person-centred approach: Individual level safeguards
safeguards under the NDIS should relate to People with disability should be able to consider the actual level of risk a person faces, based a range of safeguards and support mechanisms on their functional capacity, natural support when developing their plans, determining their network and the services available to them. support requirements and implementing these arrangements.• Presumption of capacity: the NDIS should presume that people with disability have the The NDIS will seek to help people with disability capacity to exercise choice and control, and to strengthen or develop their natural networks of provide the support a person requires to support. Access to relevant information and develop and exercise this capacity. education is also important.
- National consistency: safeguards should, over time, apply across Australia with Individual level safeguards would include risk comparable coverage to make sure people assessment, serious incident reporting and rules have access to the same protections for restrictive practices. regardless of where they live. Service level safeguards What types of safeguards might All good businesses and service organisations have internal systems that protect their clientsoperate under the NDIS? and enable them to make complaints. Disability The development of a person’s natural service providers should be subject to the same safeguards, such as personal relationships and expectations. community connections, will be an important part of the NDIS. Service level safeguards could include quality frameworks, complaints mechanisms and The NDIS will help people build supportive workforce requirements including qualifications networks and empower them to participate in and screening. their community.
System level safeguardsThe NDIS should also have formal safeguards The NDIS should build on existing system levelthat minimise the risk of harm to vulnerable safeguards and include specific internal andpeople. external processes for making complaints and having decisions reviewed. It should include anBelow is an outline of early thinking on the broad independent body, such as a tribunal.directions for how safeguards might be available to people with disability under the NDIS. This will ensure that people can seek a review of decisions made about their eligibility, plans and
Produced by the Australian, State and Territory Governments
funding allocations, as well as their access self NEXT STEPSdirected funding under the scheme.
All Australian governments are carefully Community based safeguards considering how safeguards will work under the The NDIS will use, and operate in the context of, NDIS. existing safeguards that are not formally a part of the NDIS. These include advocacy organisations,
The NDIS Advisory Group and Expert Group on
community visitor schemes, Public Advocates or Quality, Safeguards and Standards will consider Guardians, Ombudsman and Commissioners. these ideas as part of their advice to governments on the NDIS. These will ensure that people with disability have external protections and the NDIS has The Advisory Group was established by the independent oversight. Australian Government to provide specialist advice on the development and design of the People with disability can also use a range of NDIS, and is working with people with disability, safeguards available to all members of the their families and carers, as well as the disability community including anti-discrimination, human sector to get their views. rights and consumer protection legislation. These will ensure that people with disability have the HAVE YOUR SAYsame protections as everyone else in our community. An essential part of designing the NDIS is the advice of people with lived experience of
SAFEGUARDS TO SUPPORT PEOPLE
disability. This includes people with disability,UNDER THE NDIS their families and carers, disability care workers, as well as service providers, representative organisations and advocates.
For further information about the NDIS, you are encouraged to visit www.ndis.gov.au and subscribe to regular updates, as well as share your views on the ‘Your Say’ online forum.
Produced by the Australian, State and Territory Governments
CHOICE AND CONTROL WITHIN THE NATIONAL DISABILITY
INSURANCE SCHEME
As part of the foundation reform work for the WHY CHOICE AND CONTROL? National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), There is good evidence to suggest that when work has been undertaken on a proposed policy people with disability are given greater choice and framework for giving NDIS participants choice and control over their services they achieve better life control. outcomes.
This paper outlines our initial thinking about what Greater choice and control can also lead to more choice and control means and what it might look efficient and effective delivery from disability
like under the NDIS. It is a starting point to update service providers.
people with disability, their families and carers, CHOICE AND CONTROL UNDERand the community about the design of the NDIS.
THE NDIS
UNDERSTANDING CHOICE AND
WHAT PRINCIPLES SHOULD UNDERPIN
CONTROL CHOICE AND CONTROL? WHAT IS CHOICE AND CONTROL? We propose eight key principles to guide how people should be able to make decisions as partChoice and control is about people with disability, of the NDIS.their families and carers having control over the course of their lives, including the flexibility to These are: make decisions about the disability services and
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Choice: the NDIS should maximise supports they use. opportunities for people with disability to plan Under the NDIS this means decisions around and design their support arrangements. things like:
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Control: each person should be able to the type of supports and services they use choose how much control they want over their
funding, supports and service providers, and who provides them
be able to change this control over time. how they are designed and provided
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Presumption of capacity: the NDIS should how resources are able to be used presume that people with disability, with the
how their funding is managed. right support, have the capacity to exercise
choice and control.
- Design: each part of the system should be designed to ensure people with disability have maximum choice and control.
Produced by the Australian, State and Territory Governments
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Minimum intervention: the design of the able to have a decision about their plan NDIS should seek to intervene in people’s lives reviewed. in the least intrusive way. When managing funding and support
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Minimum restrictions: any restrictions on options: people should be able to choose how choice and control should be minimal and they manage their funding, including self evidence based. Clear information should be managed funding options. A small number of provided to people with disability, their families limitations should be in place to preserve the and carers so that these are transparent and sustainability and accountability of the scheme. easily understood. The NDIS should also provide independent advice, where requested, to help a person7. Inclusion and flexibility: decisions about manage their plan. supports and how they are managed should be
as inclusive and flexible as a person requires. Monitoring, review and reassessment of a
Decisions should be directed by the person person’s plan: the NDIS should monitor and with disability and include anyone else they review a person’s plan if their needs or wish. Decisions should be revised as a circumstances change.
person’s needs change. HOW SHOULD PEOPLE BE SUPPORTED TO
EXERCISE CHOICE AND CONTROL?8. Dignity in risk: people with disability should The NDIS should support and build the capacity of be allowed to determine their own best people with disability, their families and carers to interests, make mistakes and learn from those make effective decisions. mistakes, so long as the person, or others around them, or their support arrangements We believe this might include: are not put at significant risk and public Information about service and support resources are not wasted. options, potential providers, and information HOW SHOULD CHOICE AND CONTROL and advice from Local Area Coordinators. OPERATE? Building capacity to exercise control andWe propose that choice and control should be choice, including working with a person toincorporated into all stages of the NDIS, including: think broadly about their support needs and How and when a person accesses the building capacity to self-manage their funding, scheme: there should be a range of ways a if that is one of their goals. person can access the NDIS, including online,
Enabling and recognising the role of the face-to-face, over the telephone or through a
trusted advisor nominated by the person with referral. disability to help them exercise their rights. The assessment process: a person should
Options to support people who take up self- be able to tell the NDIS about their support
managed funding and do not wish to manage needs and any existing assessments. their funds alone. This includes assistance for Additional assessment by the NDIS should a person to monitor and be accountable for only be undertaken where necessary. their use of funding, along with support to help
The planning process: the NDIS should work a person arrange and manage their plan.
with a person to develop a plan centred on the
Local Area Coordination to support people by support they need for daily life and to progress
developing community based networks of their goals and aspirations. People should be
Produced by the Australian, State and Territory Governments
support.
NEXT STEPS
HOW WILL CHOICE AND CONTROL BE
PROTECTED? All Australian governments are carefully The challenge facing the NDIS is maximising considering how NDIS participants can exercise choice and control while ensuring individuals choice and control as we work together on the receive safe and effective services that provide design of the NDIS. good outcomes for people with disability.
The NDIS Advisory Group and Expert Group on
This issue is being considered as part of a Choice and Control will consider these ideas as separate body of work on safeguards. part of their advice to governments on the NDIS.
WHAT SHOULD CHOICE AND CONTROL The Advisory Group was established by the
MEAN FOR THE DISABILITY SECTOR? Australian Government to provide specialist advice The introduction of individualised and self-directed on the development and design of the NDIS, and funding will require a major shift for many service will work with people with disability, their families providers. This reform builds on longstanding and carers, and the disability sector to get their reforms for the sector. Some assistance may be views. required to help service providers transition to the Over the next few months, co-design workshops innew system. each of the launch locations will explore WHAT ABOUT RURAL AND REMOTE AREAS? operational aspects of the first stage of the NDIS To exercise choice and control people need with the involvement of people with disability, their access to a supply of support and service options, families and carers. which may not be the case in rural and remote areas. The NDIS will need to consider options to increase choice by encouraging services and developing the sector.
Produced by the Australian, State and Territory Governments
The Productivity Commission recommended that When should early intervention early intervention should form a key part of the occur? National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). Early intervention can be useful at a range of Work has been undertaken on a proposed points across a person’s life, including: approach for how early intervention will be delivered under the scheme.
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in early childhood
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following diagnosis or at the onset ofThis fact sheet explains initial thinking about what disabilityearly intervention might look like under the NDIS.
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when a person’s condition changesThe purpose of the fact sheet is to update people
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when something else changes in a person’swith disability, their families and carers, and the lifecommunity, about the design of the NDIS.
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at key life transition points. UNDERSTANDING EARLY There is also evidence that early intervention INTERVENTION supports increase the capacity of a person and their family and carers, and can lessen the What is early intervention? impact of newly acquired, newly diagnosed or Early intervention is about providing people with existing disability. disability with the right supports at the right time to maximise long-term benefits. Early Why is early intervention important? intervention aims to: Early intervention can result in significant short and long-term benefits for people with disability.
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lessen the effect of disability on the life of a Acting early can improve a person’s person and their families and carers at the development, recovery and wellbeing, help them earliest point possible do more in their community and enable them to continue to participate in the paid and unpaid
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provide a specific therapy, piece of workforce. equipment, support or training that builds skills or independence and reduces a person’s long-term care needs
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provide specific support in the early stages of disability to help a person understand options for leading a full life.
Produced by the Australian, State and Territory Governments
EARLY INTERVENTION UNDER
THE NDIS It is also important, where possible and appropriate, to work closely with families to Why should early intervention be support children and their families in a child’s included as part of the NDIS? ‘natural environment’ rather than in disability Early intervention involves an investment for a specific settings. person to create better outcomes for their future, while at the same time minimising their reliance What should early intervention look on formal support. like under the NDIS? Where appropriate, early intervention will be a Who will be eligible for early key part of the supports provided to people under intervention under the NDIS? the NDIS, and could be considered at different The NDIS will look to invest in the capability of all stages, including: people with disability who have support needs
arising from the impact of an impairment on their • The planning process: people will be able
life. to work with the NDIS to plan the things they can do now to reduce the impact of their The NDIS legislation will ensure that a person will disability over time and choose the be eligible for support if early intervention is likely interventions right for them.
to be effective in mitigating, alleviating or • When managing support options: people
preventing the deterioration of a person’s will be able to access early intervention in functional capacity. This includes children aged addition to any ongoing support they are 0-6 with developmental delay. eligible to receive from the NDIS.
- Review and reassessment of a person’s Children and the NDIS plan: early intervention will mean different things to different people. The NDIS willWhile early intervention will be important for work with a person to make sure that theirmany adults, children with disability will be a intervention works for them and is tailored toparticular focus for early intervention. This will be their needs and stage of life.where the scheme could make major contributions to improving outcomes and reducing lifetime costs. How should the NDIS help people access early intervention? The type of early intervention needed varies with The NDIS will support people with disability, their different disability types. Both generalist and families and carers to take up early intervention, specialist early interventions report success in where appropriate. This might include: improving children’s development and, in the long term, improving social and workforce participation outcomes for children later in life.
Produced by the Australian, State and Territory Governments
• Information about possible early intervention People can receive early intervention in a range
services and how it might lessen the impact of settings depending on their requirements, of a person’s disability on their life. including a person’s home.
• Working with community and other How should the NDIS decide what
services to coordinate the provision of early early intervention to provide? intervention supports. The timing and duration of early intervention and the nature of intervention should be informed by• Local Area Coordination to link people to the available evidence and depend on a range of early intervention services and supports, factors including the person’s goals, their including new or innovative interventions that disability, the type of intervention and the might be appropriate. person’s particular circumstances.
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Capacity building to increase the confidence and capability of people to take While an emphasis on interventions that are up early intervention, including working with a effective and beneficial for the participant is person to think broadly about their goals and appropriate, it is also important to recognise that aspirations and how these might be existing evidence is often limited. supported. This could include working with a person’s parents and carers to build their Therefore the NDIS will also support potentially capacity. promising interventions which are likely to be beneficial, based on current good practice. The
• Research to build the NDIS evidence base NDIS will develop guidelines around when
on early intervention to determine what works innovative interventions would be funded. and why. Over time, this will allow the scheme to build a What types of early intervention could knowledge base for safe, effective and efficient be provided under the NDIS? early intervention, while continuing to encourage Early intervention is not necessarily clinical innovation. services. Early intervention under the NDIS will encompass a full range of disability supports and NEXT STEPS services including: All Australian governments are carefully considering how early intervention will work
• specific therapies under the scheme, as we work together on the
• aids and equipment design of the NDIS.
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behaviour and specialist interventions • support coordination The NDIS Advisory Group was established by the
• home and transport modifications. Australian Government to provide specialist
advice on the development and design of the
Produced by the Australian, State and Territory Governments
NDIS, and is working with people with disability, their families and carers, as well as the disability sector to get their views.
HAVE YOUR SAY
An essential part of designing the NDIS is the advice of people with lived experience of disability. This includes people with disability, their families and carers, disability care workers, as well as service providers, representative organisations and advocates.
For further information about the NDIS, you are encouraged to visit www.ndis.gov.au and subscribe to regular updates, as well as share your views on the ‘Your Say’ online forum.
Produced by the Australian, State and Territory Governments
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Service Providers
NDIS IT System Access
The NDIS Launch Transition Agency is developing an information technology (IT) system to support its business operations.
Service Providers will be invited to apply to become a registered provider of supports to NDIS participants through a registration form to be made available from the NDIS Launch Transition Agency website in June 2013. Further details on the registration process will be made available in the near future.
Service Providers will identify the types of services they provide as part of the registration process and following approval as a registered provider be supplied with a login identification and password to the NDIS Provider Portal. Access to the NDIS system will be enabled via this online portal (via the internet).
No special software is required to access the Service Provider portal and a link to the portal will be available from the new NDIS Launch Transition Agency website (due to be launched in June) and related websites such as NDIS.gov.au.
Participants will give the providers they have chosen the required details to enable the provider to see the relevant supports in the participant’s plan online. Providers will be able to claim online for supports provided to NDIS participants and online claims will be paid within 2 working days. Paper invoices will be paid within 30 days.
Participants who chose to self-manage their supports may select from the list of NDIS registered providers and will then pay their providers directly.
Self-managing participants may also choose providers who are not on the Regsiter. In those instances where a participant wishes the Agency to pay a provider on their behalf and the provider’s details do not appear on the Register, the participant can advise the Agency of the necessary information.
Relevant client information will pre-populate online claims screens to reduce data entry requirements.
NDIS IT system information sessions for providers in launch sites are currently planned from mid-April 2013.