How does the NDIS work?

As of July 1 2016, the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) was introduced to communities and individuals in each Australian state to give people with disability more choice and control over the supports they receive.

It’s important to know where you stand with the NDIS and the many services that are available to ensure you have a greater level of flexibility and independence to live an ordinary life. To participate in the NDIS:

• You will need to be under the age of 65 when you start your plan
• You will need to live in Australia and have Australian citizenship or have documents showing you are a permanent resident
• Your disability is permanent and seriously impacts your daily routines and activities.

The NDIS will let you know once you’ve met the access requirements. A planner will then contact you to discuss your current supports and ongoing needs and goals and develop a plan with you that will fund supports that are reasonable and necessary. It may take a few sessions with your planner to create a support plan tailored just for you.

The first plan you create under the NDIS will continue to address your immediate needs and may be in place for a year to allow you time to explore and learn more about any other services that will help you achieve your goals. Your plan may include a variety of supports to set you up for success with your chosen providers:

• Informal supports – family and friends that provide help and care
• Community supports – activities and events held in your local Spectrum community
• Mainstream supports – teachers, doctors and other trained professionals that are able to provide support and services
• Funded supports – services required by you that are funded by the NDIS

There are many great opportunities available to people with disability under the NDIS. Connecting with your community will be the key to sharing new experiences introduced by the NDIS. People with disability from CALD backgrounds stand to benefit greatly by thinking about their lives now, what is working, what should change and what they might like to achieve.

To ensure people with disability and their families can learn about the opportunities and options available under the NDIS and can fully participate in planning their supports, Spectrum and a group of community organisations offer information sessions held in and around Melbourne. Be sure to take a look at Spectrum’s calendar of events to know when an information session will be held in your local area.