Understanding the complex case management process

January 18, 2022

If you have complex needs that require a high level of support, you may be entitled to receive NDIS funding for complex case management. Complex case management allows you to tackle the barriers you and your family may be facing with the help of a specialist support coordinator. This may include support from specialists including psychiatrists or mental health workers, social workers or other health professionals.

By going through the complex case management process, a specialist support coordinator can create a tailored program to suit your individual situation and needs. By identifying the actions and supports required to help manage your barriers and achieve your goals, a specialist support coordinator can create a plan that puts your health, wellbeing and goals first.

If you’ve been exploring complex case management but aren’t sure where to begin, we outline the process and what Disability Plan Services – an NDIS plan management provider with a specialist support team – can offer in this space.

Complex case management and specialist support coordination

As mentioned above, eligible participants going through the complex case management process will be connected with a specialist support coordinator. Specialist support coordination is designed to address the complex barriers a participant is facing. This is done by:

• Working with participants, their families and carers to identify and understand the barriers impacting the participant’s ability to access, use and maintain their supports
• Find solutions to these barriers
• Establish an ongoing plan to ensure these barriers are not a recurring issue, and prioritise urgent factors that need to be addressed first.

After a specialist support coordinator has completed those three steps with a participant and their family, it’ll be determined whether a service plan for complex support needs is required. If appropriate, a service plan should:

• ensure all services and supports can work together to help a participant achieve the goals outlined in their NDIS plan;
• enable communication, cooperation and collaboration within the participant’s network of supports – both funded and unfunded; 
• easily help the participant and their support network to resolve unexpected situations; and
• ensure there is access to relevant supports in the event of unplanned events or crises.

Once a service plan is designed and agreed upon by all relevant parties, the specialist support coordinator responsible for curating the plan can help the participant and their supports to put it into action. 

How Disability Plan Services can help

Don’t be fooled by our name – Disability Plan Services is much more than an NDIS plan management provider.  If you have a higher reliance on specialist support or have barriers to accessing supports, we have the knowledge and expertise to help you navigate the complex case management process. 

Our team has a wealth of experience in the disability sector, so we know what it takes to understand your barriers to connect you with the best possible disability support providers. But don’t just take our word for it – read the multitude of 5-star reviews left on Google or keep reading to hear Zoe’s story and how our complex case management services transformed her life. 

Meet Zoe, whose life was transformed by complex case management and Disability Plan Services

Zoe reached out to Disability Plan Services in 2019 after being unable to physically access the high level of support she needed on a day-to-day basis.

Zoe lives with a degenerative disease that impacts her ability to walk and perform basic tasks on one of Moreton Bay’s islands, which prior to reaching out to Disability Plan Services, was limiting her access to appropriate services.

After our NDIS plan manager was able to visit Zoe, it was established that her funding was not adequate to cover the additional disability support services she needed.

By initiating the complex case management process, the Disability Plan Services team were able to help Zoe by managing her invoices and budget, as well as identifying additional supports that suited her situation.

Since then, we have helped Zoe to receive additional access to funding for new equipment which has since improved her independence, lessened her reliance on day-to-day support and helped her to achieve her goals. 

About Disability Plan Services

As an NDIS registered plan management provider, Disability Plan Services can help you navigate the complex case management process. Our friendly and experienced team can address the complex barriers in your life and design a service plan to overcome the significant complexities you’re facing.  

Working with Disability Plan Services as your specialist support coordinator will allow you to 

If you would like to learn more about Disability Plan Services and what we can offer you, contact one of our friendly team members today.