NDIA Accountability Project

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Mental health support inequities under the NDIS (Provider experience)

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National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026

Submission 2130

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Dear Senate Community Affairs Committee, Parliament of Australia

National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment Submission

Submission: [Redacted]

BUDDING RESILIENCE THERAPIES

and inequitable eligibility processes directly increase risk of harm,crisis presentation, and long-term disadvantage § some§ most vulnerablenmembersofourcommunity. Below, i outlinemyconcernsinrelationtothe proposedchangesincluding:

  • current issues that are likely toworsenunderthBill,and new challengesthat mayemergearsaresultofofproposedreforms.

EligibilityThecurrenteligibilityprocessisnotequallyaccessibletopeoplefromlower socio-economicbackgroundswhooftenrequiresupportthemost.Expensivenevaluationscost thousandsofdollarsorhospitalassessmentswaitliststhatcanspanyearsmeanonlythosewithfinancialmeanscanreliablyaccesssupporthis notanequitabled processandecludsvulnerable community members and families.In my practice, I have observed thateaseducssibilityanddelayedsupportlead to:

increaseddemandfor crisisinterventions(child protectionemergency departments,hospitals),anda pooreroutcomesfordisadvantagedcommunumembers includingan increased risk of incarceration.If the Bill introduces more standardised,evidence-based assessments without addressingbarriers accessing those assessmentsthese inequities will be amplified.

National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026

Submission 2130

Supported Expenses

The proposed rebalancing of funding categories—particularly capacity building, social and community participation—and tighter controls on plan variations and unscheduled reassessments—indicates a likelihood of reduced approvalfor disability-specific supports. While it may appear reasonable to refer participants to other funding bodies,many mainstream services lack specialist knowledgeandtraining in supportingpeople withdisability.As as result,paticipants are likelyto encounter:

  • inadequatesupportsandservices,
  • disengagementfromtherapyandinventions,and
  • increased relianceonthe crisisservicesdescribed above.

Fraud and Integrity

Isupportthefill’sincreased focusonthefraudandiintegrity,havingwitnessedsignificant evidenceofproviderswithoutspecialised skillsexploitingtheschemeformonegative gain through unethicalorillegal means.If appropriately applied,the changes should reducethelikelihoodunethical providers exploitingfinancially abusing oneourcommunity’smost vulnerablecohorts. However,tobetter protectvulnerableNDISparticipants,I recommend th following amendments:

  • Increased training requirements across all domainsfaprovidersworkers.`

National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026 Submission 2130

  • More rigorous registration processes to eliminate providers with limited experience,or those who have purchased compliance policies withouta genuine understanding ofthe industry.*

Increasedfundingforaninvestigationstaskforceto moreeffectively detectand prevent fraud anda nd financial abuseofthedisabilitycommunity.

Governance

I am concerned about th eproposed reliance on fully digital systems f or claiming an d administrativeprocesses.Inmyexperience*,ethical providers submitting enquiries orc omplaints ton DIA staffhave encountered an overwhelmed team that often sends generic document guideswithout addressing specific queriesabout payment concernsorsystem issues.Afullyelectronicclaimingsystems w ithoutadequate human supports risks: - delaying payments top roviders, - creating barriers fo r providerswho are less digitally confident, a nnd reducing ability to resolve complex casesthat requirehuman judgement.

Support Coordination I hold significantconcernsr egarding then proposed reduction in funding fors upport coordination and themove toc ommissioned,cappedmodel. In my practice,I hav eseen many vulnerable families receive insufficientfund ingandsuppor t due tod i nequatesupportcoordination.This: - increases risktfamiliesavulnerable participants,and

National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026

Submission 2130

  • increases the likelihood *

National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment

Submission 2130

BUDDING RESILIENCE THERAPIES

References

  • Family Support Experiences of Adult Persons with Intellectual … (2025) Family Support Experiences of Adult Persons with Intellectual Disability and Challenging Behaviour, PUBMED CENTRAL(PMC12192965). availableat: hpss://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12192965/(accessed:May)2026.

Impactofpost-releasecommunitymentalhealthanddisability… (2023) Impact of post-release community mental health and disability support on reincarceration,PUBMEDCENTRAL(PMC10044015).available at: hps://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10044015/(Accessed:) May (28)(2026).

Socialsupportasmediatorofofstressandsatisfactionsforpeople… (2021) Social support as a mediator o f stress an d life satisfaction for people w ith intellectual or developmental disabilities during the COVID -19 pandemic, PUB MED Central (PM C 8646736 ). availablea t : hps:/ / pm c. ncb i.nlm .nih.g ov/art ic les/P MC 8646736 /(A cc ess ed):M ay )28(May )(2026)

Work-relatedstres sandwell-beingdirectcareworkersin ….(2019) Work-relat esd st ressand well-beings direct care workers in intelle ctual disab ility services ,P UBME D Cent ral ( PMC7942790). av ailable ata t: hpss// pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.go v/ar tic le s/ PMC7942790/(Acces sed:M ay)May (28)(2026). -A scoping review ofthe structural social determinantsof health foreople with disability. (2025) A scoping revi ewo ft he stru ctr u al socia l det erminan ts fo rh ealthfo re pe oplewithdisability,PUBMEDCENTRAL(PMC12805692).availableata: hps://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12805692/(Accessed:) May (28)(2026).