Understanding NDIS Support Coordination

May 8, 2020

Understanding NDIS Support Coordination

When deciding how to manage your NDIS plan funds, it can be overwhelming to weigh up all the options available to you.

If to date you have been self-managing your plan or the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) is managing your plan for you and you think you may be eligible for NDIS support coordination, you may be considering working with a registered, third-party agency for your NDIS plan management and support coordination.

Normally, not every NDIS participant would be eligible to receiving funding for support coordination in their plan. But, in late March 2020 the NDIA announced that support coordination could now be accessed using your Core budget meaning that anyone with a NDIS plan and funding in their Core budget can now access support coordination.

This change has been implemented to help individuals and service providers during the global coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, regardless of whether you had funding for support coordination in your plan or not.

Usually, the NDIS will only grant NDIS support coordination to participants if they are just entering the scheme for the first time or if they have gone through a significant change in their lifestyle such as moving into a different type of living.

The NDIS defines support coordination (coordination of supports) as “a support that will assist you to build the skills you need to understand, implement and use your plan. A Support Coordinator will work with you to ensure a mix of supports are used to increase your capacity to maintain relationships, manage service delivery tasks, live more independently and be included in your community.”

A Support Coordinator will work with you and put your plan into action by:

• Helping you to understand your plan – If you are new to the NDIS, understanding how to implement your plan funds may seem confusing at first. A Support Coordinator understands the ins and outs of the NDIS and will work closely with you to determine what supports you should be accessing with your plan.
• Sourcing the best supports – Finding the right service providers to deliver the supports you require can be difficult. With so many providers out there, it is important to choose the right one for your needs. A Support Coordinator will do this work for you and match you with the best provider(s).
• Formalising your agreements – It is recommended that you prepare a service agreement which outlines the requirements between your service providers and yourself. A Support Coordinator will prepare this agreement for you and ensure both parties are satisfied with the arrangement.
• Providing help throughout your journey – You can always keep in contact with your Support Coordinator and reach out to them with any questions you may have about the NDIS and your supports.

It is important to note that although a Support Coordinator will help to connect you with supports and implement your plan for you, their purpose is not to do everything for you.

As a capacity building support, support coordination is designed to help build your skills and understanding so that, eventually, you can confidently manage your supports without their assistance.

NDIS Support Coordination and Plan Management

Just because you received funding for NDIS support coordination, this doesn’t mean that you will automatically receive funds for plan management. Getting funds in your plan for plan management is easy, however, it is not a package deal with support coordination or visa versa.

Plan management is about supporting you to manage the financial side of your NDIS plan. To receive funds for plan management you must request for it to be included in your plan.

There are no conditions for plan management, meaning it is easy for you to receive funding for it within your plan. You simply have to ask for it in your planning meeting or plan review.

A combination of NDIS support coordination and plan management is ultimately the best way to manage your plan as it combines the facilitation of your supports and the management of your plan funds.

To learn more about plan management, click here or call us on 1800 312 870.

Some independent agencies, such as Disability Plan Services, provide both NDIS plan management and support coordination to eligible participants who need a helping help to implement and manage their plan funds and access supports.

At Disability Plan Services, we are focused on improving the quality of life of people with disabilities because we believe everyone has the right to receive the support they need. We build relationships with the local community, health professionals, service providers and most importantly, you, to deliver the best possible outcomes to help you live a fulfilling life.

If you would like to talk to the team at Disability Plan Services about NDIS support coordination in Perth, Brisbane or Toowoomba, please call us on 1800 312 870 or complete the form below.