NDIS Support Coordination - Definition, Support & Plan Abbreviation!

The NDIS, popularly known as National Disability Insurance Scheme(NDIS), was first formed in 2013 by the Australian government and became fully legislated in 2020.

The NDIS, under the provision of the government, ensures rightful funding to eligible disabled people to gain greater independence, access to new skills and jobs, or improve their social and communicational skills to live a happy and quality life.

The NDIS has a wide range of service offerings from which support coordinator is one such renowned one.

This article is about the Support Coordination service provided by the NDIS (National Disability Insurance Scheme), the role of Support Coordination specialists, their responsibilities, and how they accomplish them with NDIS participants.

NDIS Support Coordination

Support coordination is designed to assist NDIS Participants in smoothly implementing their NDIS plan's support, including informal, mainstream, community, and funded support.

Similar to other NDIS support services, you can include this in your NDIS plan within the Capacity Building category. Support Coordination comes within three different categories:

● Support Connection

● Coordination of Supports

● Specialist Support Coordination.

The Support Coordination service hours per year vary depending on the participant's needs, budget and situation.

While many participants receive 50 to 100 hours of support coordination (generally up to 2 hours a week), others entitle to more extended hours.

The NDIA (National Disability Insurance Agency) spends 3 to 4% of the total NDIS spending on support coordination every year, ensuring smooth and hassle-free operation.

Who can Access the Support Coordination Service?

This section will contain some exciting numbers. If you sum up the overall number of disabled people number, then 4 in every 10 NDIS Participants have accessed Support Coordination as their mainstream NDIS Plan.

Of course, this figure includes all ages (young children tend to get less), gender, state, region, and locality.

As per a survey, 35% of NDIS support coordination participants come from NSW, 31% belong to Queensland, 42% are from South Australia, and 46% are from Victoria.

The eligibility criteria for participants receiving NDIS support coordination service are:

-> Teen or young-age disabled people who are receiving nursing care and want to switch to NDIS support service

-> Those with deficient functioning, complex needs, and receiving multiple supports

-> People with ith episodic mental or ill-health support needs

-> Those who require regular crisis management

-> People with low-income family resources, limited or informal support networks

-> Participants who have a history of changing and challenging support provision

-> People with psychosocial disability and degenerative nature, requiring support for regular active management and ongoing adjustment due to evolving needs.

A registered NDIS provider can deliver Coordination of Support or Specialist Support Coordination to participants, ensuring regular and proactive management of conflicts of interest.

What does a Support Coordination Specialist Do?

We all know the hub of NDIS is Australia, and since its official inauguration, more than 1500 have registered with the organization to grab the registered NDIS provider tag.

The key responsibilities of a Support Coordinator are as follows:

-> They help participants assess all the essential options for mainstream, informal, community, and support providers

-> They teach participants how to use the NDIS Myplace portal or sometimes does by themselves on behalf of the participants to save quality time.

-> The coordinators help in deciding the budget for each support type and prepare the inform plan managers about the spending

-> They are responsible for organizing required assessments by determining the nature and type of funding required.

-> They work on implementing the NDIS plan to help participants choose preferred options or providers while increasing their capacity to direct and manage their exercise choice.

-> The coordinators involve themselves in negotiating prices and services while developing service agreements and service bookings with preferred providers.

-> Asure making changes to provider service agreements and help Participants understand their responsibilities

-> Continuously indulge in increasing participants' options to link with mainstream or community services such as education, health, housing, and transport.

-> Help participants get the value of their funding and plan.

-> Keep track of the progress toward the final goal, make necessary changes midway if required, and troubleshoot problems by implementing new plans.

How can you Access NDIS Support Coordination Service?

Support Coordination through the NDIS is a well-planned and designed service that ensures proper guidance to the NDIS participants regarding the standard utilization of their funds and other essential support services.

To access this service, enrich any nearby registered NDIS service providers, as there are many. And regarding its funding and benefits, speak to your NDIS Planner to discuss if this is a suitable option.