What is NDIS

The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) offers support to qualified individuals with a lasting and significant disability that influences their capacity to participate in their regular activities. The National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) is an independent agency that implements the NDIS. They are a national agency in charge of  NDIS for all of Australia.

Support provided by NDIS helps people with disability to achieve independence, be more involved in the community, gain employment, and improved wellbeing. In other words, NDIS supports are geared towards attaining individual goals which include but are not limited to:

• Gaining independence
• Community involvement or participation
• Educational advancement
• Being gainfully Employed
• Achieving significant Health and wellbeing

NDIS Eligibility

To be an eligible NDIS participant, the person must:

• Have a significant and permanent disability that affects their capabilities to engage in their daily activities,  or needed access to early intervention supports.
• Be an Australian citizen, a permanent resident, or a protected Special Category Visa holder.
• Must be of the range of 9 years to 65 years of age when first applying to become a participant.
• Be residing in an area where the NDIS has rolled out.
• If need be, meet the age/or phasing criteria for that area during the staged roll-out across Australia.

How to Become an NDIS Participant

Becoming an NDIS participant involves an eligibility assessment, and if your evaluation is positive, you will have to create and submit an NDIS plan to NDIA for approval. You can even do your assessment six months before the planned rollout date in your area to have your approval ready and services in place as early as possible.

Here are the steps:

1. You can visit the Am I eligible page to complete an NDIS checklist and see if you might be eligible.
2. Make a verbal application by calling the NDIS on 1800 800 110. 
3. Contact them for an Access request form on 1800 800 110. An Access-Request Form will be sent to you to complete with your GP or specialist.
4. Read Accessing the NDIS to understand the type of evidence required to support an access request.

Once you pass the assessment criteria, notification of your Initial Planning Meeting will be sent to you.  Your first meeting could take place over the phone or face-to-face. You can contact BridgesCare to discuss the support in your plan once you receive your approved NDIS Plan through post or the NDIA Participant Portal.

Review Process

There are several review pathways to explore if your assessment was negative. Please click on the following link to understand the NDIS’s Review of Decisions process. You can as well make use of an advocacy service provider in your area, to support you to reapply for the NDIS.

NDIS Information Sessions

Several free information sessions are being held across NSW by disability organizations and service providers.  Find a full list of the events on the NDIS New South Wales page

MyPlace

Once you are an approved participant of the scheme, you can use the online Myplace Participant Portal on the NDIS website to search for service providers in your area, request services, and manage your services and plan online.

Resources – NDIS Website

• NDIS pathway – a guide to becoming an NDIS participant
• NDIS – understanding your NDIS plan
• NDIS – self-managing budgets in your plan