17 January 2017
Joint Standing Committee on the National Disability Insurance Scheme
PO Box 6100
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600
Dear Sir/Madam,
I am pleased to have the opportunity to make a submission to the committee on the provision of services under the NDIS for people with psychosocial disabilities related to a mental health condition. Then words you wan.
To discuss any of the information please contact me,
Yours Sincerely
Kathryn Gilbert
The provision of services under the NDIS for people with psychosocial disabilities related to a mental health condition
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Mental Health and NDIS Facebook Support Group Submission
About Me
My name is Kathryn Gilbert and I have a diagnosis of bi polar, PTST, social anxiety, depression. I am also the sole care of the children with autism, my eldest also having adhd
Executive Summary
I welcome the opportunity to provide feedback to the committee on the provision of services under the NDIS for people with psychosocial disabilities related to a mental health condition. I look forward to the national implementation of the NDIS, and we hope that the NDIS will mean all people with a disability can live a much fuller and socially inclusive life.
In providing feedback on the terms of reference for this submission I intend to focus on Describe here your focus points
Key Recommendations
That there be a less of a wait time for application, people are going months without any kind of support while waiting for the NDIS. That an access request form and proof of diagnosis form is done specifically with mental health in mind. The current forms have detailed questions about physical disabilities but very few in regards to anything mental health related That plan managers allocated to those with mental health issues have some kind of professional background in relation to mental health. I started an online fb community and it has already reached over 700 members and it continues to grow. I am still currently waiting for my application to be approved but I have heard some horrible experiences that people have had and this is not leaving our community feeling very confident about the NDIS at all. The plan managers have not taken into consideration specific goals and wishes or clients for whatever reason, but for those of us with lived experiences we can clearly see how it is mental health related. People with mental health are already fighting a daily battle and from what I have seen on the group many should have put In for a review but where simply just to tired and not mentally well enough to submit one. Planners with better knowledge of mental health and how it can effect people on a day to day basis will prevent further distress from continuing to occur
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a. the eligibility criteria for the NDIS for people with a psychosocial disability People with mental health issues should not have to jump through hoops to get the help they deserve. If a professional has clearly stated that the mental health condition is life long then the ndis should not be allowed to reject this PTSD should be included as one of the diagnosis eligible for the NDIS. I was extremely disheartened to hear when I first made my application to the NDIS that my bi polar diagnosis, depression diagnosis and anxiety diagnosis where all accepted but the PTSD was not. I can tell you right now that I will suffer from the effects of my PTSD for the rest of my life and to be told that it can be ‘cured’ I was extremely shocked. Clearly the person who came up with this idea has no clue on PTSD and how debilitating it can be. Its bad enough having a mental health diagnosis, but to have a government agency not recognise my PTSD I found it hurtful, I found it offensive, I found it degrading. So many others who have PTSD feel the exact same way I do
Recommendations
That there be an easier way to access the NDIS for those with mental health issues, and that the NDIS gain further knowledge on mental health from people who have actually experienced it. Having a better understanding will help see that the restrictions for being eligible at the current time are tight and hard to get through.
b. the scope and level of funding for mental health services under the Information, Linkages and Capacity building framework;
That this become easier accessible to ndis particpants
the planning process for people with a psychosocial disability, and the role of primary health networks in that process;
The planning process so far for me has been a massive let down. I applied in October last year, I put my forms in at the local office 2 weeks ago but I am told it could take months to hear back. I have no current informal supports, I am only accessing a psychiatrist that I see privately for my medication every 4 months as I am not able to afford long term professional help. While there is mental health care plans and care plans available these only offer a certain amount of sessions and it could take months to develop enough trust to just start to talk to someone and then all of the sessions are up. I am struggling on a day to day basis to meet not only my own needs but also my childs needs. I have told the NDIS this and all they say is I just have to wait to hear back. There is no free local support currently available in my area so I continue to go down hill quickly whilst not having any clue what the future may hold for me
Recommendations
There needs to be plans that are prioritised. For extreme cases, especially those with more then one mental health issue and also primary carer children should be fast tracked.
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