FAQs

The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is a new way to provide funding and supports to people with permanent and significant disabilities across Australia.

Scope is a registered NDIS provider and delivers services across Victoria

The NDIS provides lifetime supports to individuals who meet the eligibility to criteria. The supports are based on a plan that includes your support needs, goals and aspirations.

We work with you to create a plan to suit your own goals and hopes.

The National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) is the organisation managing the NDIS. They have been appointed by the federal government, and are funded by the Department of Social Services (DSS).

The NDIA manage the administration of all NDIS funding, and are able provide information around how the NDIS will work, whether you or the person you care for is eligible, and how you can take part.

NDIS stands for National Disability Insurance Scheme.

It is a new national system of providing support to people with disability, their families and carers. It is focused on providing real choice and flexibility to people with disability, through the provision of personalised funding.

People with disability who are eligible take part in the scheme are called “participants”.

The NDIA is the National Disability Insurance Agency.

It is a government agency whose role is to implement and manage the NDIS and ensure people with disability continue to get the support they need.

If you are eligible for the NDIS, you will receive funding on an annual basis to purchase the services, aids and equipment that you have been assessed as needing from the service provider/providers of your choice such as Scope. In addition, you can choose either to self-manage your own funds, in which case you make claims to NDIS personally, or else ask the NDIA – the agency established to administer the NDIS – to manage your funding for you.

As individual circumstances, conditions or needs change, NDIS participants will be able to apply to have their funding plan adjusted accordingly.

Scope provide a range of support services to individuals with a disability and their families throughout each stage in life. We can support you to:

• Become more independent
• Transition from school
• Move out of home or set up your own home
• Access therapy services
• Learn new skills
• Strengthen relationships with family, friends and others
• Be a part of your community
• Gain work experience and employment

We are also a registered NDIS Plan Manager. Talk to us to find out more.

Eligibility for NDIS funding comes down to four factors:

Disability & Early Intervention – you must:

Have a permanent disability, which limits your ability to participate in your community, obtain employment, and perform day-to-day tasks without support from a carer or assistive technology.

OR

Have a permanent disability (or developmental delay for children under 6 years) which would likely benefit from receiving supports now, with the aim of reducing the amount of support needed in the future.

Residency status – you must:

Be an Australian citizen

OR

Hold a Permanent Visa

OR

New Zealand citizen who holds a Protected Special Category Visa.

Location –

In Victoria, the NDIS being rolled out over the next 3 years in stages by local government area.

To check when your area will be rolling out visit – the NDIS website.

Or

To see what local government area you live in visit the know your council website.

Age –

You must be under 65 years of age at the time of rollout in your area.

We recommend you use confirm your eligibility with the NDIS Access Checklist tool, or by calling the NDIA on 1800 800 110.

Use My Access Checker to find out if you are able to receive assistance from the NDIS, and what the next steps are.

If you live outside an NDIS trial site, your existing funding and supports will continue. These will remain in place until the NDIS is introduced to your area or is extended to your age group.

People over the age of 65 are not eligible for the NDIS. People over 65 who currently receiving disability support will be provided with the same supports and funding that they received prior to the transition to the NDIS.

Scope is a strong supporter of the NDIS.  We have worked alongside government as they have developed the NDIS, and will play an active role in the transition from current arrangements to the new scheme.

We understand that undergoing a change this big can be challenging, so we will work with you to ensure that the transition to NDIS is tailored to your needs.  During the transition you can be assured that we will maintain our commitment to our vision to support and listen to each person and their family.  This means that if we currently provide services and support to you, a family member or loved one, we will make sure your voice and choices are heard, and that we will continue to partner with you to develop personalised plans and goals that reflect your needs, individuality and culture.

The NDIS covers a wide range of disability supports, services and equipment, where these are seen as reasonable and necessary.

These can include therapies, education, living arrangements, home modifications, communication assistive technology, mobility equipment, community participation activities, and support in gaining and maintaining employment, just to name a few.

To say that a support is ‘reasonable and necessary’ means that it should help in one or more of the following ways:

• Achieving your goals.
• Increasing and maintaining independence.
• Developing necessary skills for everyday life, etc.
• Facilitating participation in your community.
• Gaining employment and working.

It is also important that the supports outlined in your plan are:

• Funded in a cost-effective way.
• Make allowances for what is reasonable to expect of families, carers and the community.
• Not more suitably provided through other support systems.
• Not illegal or intended to replace income.

The NDIS does not provide funding for support if it is:

• Not related to a person’s disability.
• A duplicate of another support within a participants personal support plan.
• Related to daily living expenses not tied to a participants disability (e.g. rent, groceries).
• Better addressed through an alternative support system (e.g. healthcare system).
• Likely to cause harm to a participant or pose a risk to others.
• Related to income replacement.

The Disability Support Register (DSR) will be replaced by the NDIS, as it rolls out from July 1, 2016.

However, there won’t be a waiting list for the NDIS.

If a person is found to meet the NDIS eligibility criteria, they will be able to commence services, once their plan is approved by the NDIA.

The NDIS does not have a defined limit for each persons funding. Funding is very personalised, and tailored for your specific needs. When support is deemed as ‘reasonable and necessary’, you are entitled to funding for that support. Hence, the focus is not on the cost of funding, but on delivering the supports you need to achieve your goals.

For more information on the NDIS, visit http://www.ndis.gov.au/

Yes, the NDIS will ask you to think about what your goals are and what supports you may need.

Goals are ideas you have about what you want to do in your life. They can be big or small and cover many parts of your life. For example, goals can be becoming more independent, getting a job, going to schools, spending time with friends or being healthy.

This will be easier if you do some planning. Scope can help you figure out what you already get and we have people who can help you to figure out what you want.

There are also some tools to help with this:

NDIS Planning Tool

There are independent organisations that can also help support you or your family member, for example:

VALID

Local area coordination organization

Increased flexibility and choice is what is encouraged under the NDIS.  This means that many people can access different supports from many services.  You may find as you transition through to the NDIS that you identify goals and ambitions in areas where Scope can support you to achieve your happiness.

To help you achieve your goals, Scope can provide flexible support with:

• Accommodation services and supports
• Sporting activities, passions and interests
• Personal care
• Increasing independence and community participation
• Getting a job
• Individual support at home, going out or on holidays
• Education and training opportunities
• Assistance with household management duties
• Clinical support

Tell us what you need and we can tailor it for you.

The NDIS trial site is in the Barwon area made up of the local government areas (LGAs) of the City of Greater Geelong, Colac-Otway Shire, Borough of Queenscliffe and Surf Coast Shire. The trial began on 1 July 2013.

Since its launch, Scope has successfully supported individuals to transition to the NDIS and access a range of our services.

Scope consistently monitors the progress of the trial. We will review and update the way we do things as we adapt to the changing NDIS environment.

The NDIS will be progressively rolled out in Victoria from 1 July 2016. By 1 July 2019 all eligible residents will be covered.