Skip to main content
Forums Home
Illustration of people sitting and standing

New here?

Chat with other people who 'Get it'

with health professionals in the background to make sure everything is safe and supportive.

Register

Have an account?
Login

cancel
Showing results for 
Search instead for 
Did you mean: 

Our stories

Re: Anyone started with the NDIS?

Hi @-Liz-   getting back to you at last, but if Mum appears I'll have to go.

 

So....getting accepted to the NDIS finally happened 18 months after my initial application (which you can do with your GP or clinically qualified allied health professional) and lots happened along the way, too much to write in one post.  If you possibly can it is worth reading through this thread.  The final stage of my trying to get approved was what's called an external appeal (you have to have done an internal appeal prior and been unsuccessful with that) ... with the external appeal we went to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal which can override NDIS/NDIA decisions.  For this I had a disability advocate (google them in your state - I'm in NSW) and she got me a legal aid solicitor.  They were amazing.  I also had my sister-in-law acting as my carer/nominee.

 

The things we had to prove were

1.  that my 'psychosocial disability' is lifelong and permanent.  (That's what NDIS calls mental health disabilities.  In my case I have complex PTSD since a child which is not likely to ever be healed, just managed, along with bipolar 1 which is lifelong and episodic. 

2.  functional effects of my disability in all the 5 categories that are on the initial access request form.  This part is crucial as the NDIS are more focussed on functional limitations/effects than the actual diagnostic label.

3. that there was something unique in my case (that's needed to get the solicitor and to get the AAT involved).  Again it was the combination of the cPTSD and BP 1 and the ways in which they compound each other and are entwined.

4.  that my goals are reasonable and necessary and will give me improved choice and control in my life.

5.  that all mainstream medical services had been exhausted and were insufficient.

 

Note - I have deliberately used NDIS language above - one of the things that is a challenge when applying is that they basically have a language of their own, with lots of really specific catch phrases.

 

I had very detailed reports from clinical psychologist, psychiatrist and a mental health occupational therapist assessment.  In the end the NDIS conceded and accepted me 2 days before the hearing was scheduled!  Everyone said they gave in so that my case didn't set a precedent that others could use.

 

If you do apply and are granted a 'planning meeting' you can request face to face instead of over the phone, and there's a list of questions they are likely to ask you around page 57-58 of this thread that lots of people have found helpful.

 

Practical benefits are really effective in improving my quality of life and 'capacity building' my skills to better manage my conditions.  The Recovery Model  defines the outcomes I am working towards.  I have support workers 12 hours a week average who get me to all my essential appointments, errands such as grocery shopping, chemist etc, public transport training and independent mobility, community engagement e.g. writing groups, live readings at the art gallery, women's centre activities, computer courses, water tai chi, activities with the local disability alliance and more.   I am even able to have driving lessons with a mental health occupational therapist instructor.  And the single biggest thing is that I'm funded for much more psychology per year than the mainstream mental health care plan enables ( that's only 10 sessions per year and this way I'm able to have a minimum of 40 or so so I can go weekly or fortnightly for the whole year).  My funds also cover a 'coordinator of supports' and a 'plan manager'.

 

Hopefully I've answered your questions adequately.  I'm happy to discuss all this further, but as I have said I won't be here between 26th Dec and 8th Jan, so you'll have to be patient with me.

 

Take care, Eth.

 

Edit 21/1/20 :  Tagging you here too @Wanderer  in case any of the above is helpful for you too.

Re: Anyone started with the NDIS?

@eth so are you ready for a cosmic coincidence!?!? I have done nothing over Xmas as I spend it alone as I don't have anyone but just now thought I'd check to see if anyone wrote on any of my posts and here is yours saying please be patient I hope you can wait until the 7th and by sheer coincidence I'm checking on the 7th! This isn't to rush you at all I just hope you get a little smirk out of the coincidence 🙂

Re: Anyone started with the NDIS?

@Appleblossom I applied last year and after a lengthy application/review and request for more medical docs blah blah blah they ended up declining it with a five page irrelevant document as to why they would not support an NDIS claim for myself. Unfortunately I do feel the lack of support but I'm out of ideas where to go or what to do next.

Re: Anyone started with the NDIS?

@eth thank you so much for taking the time to write such a detail response!!!!

I could tell the NDIS is significantly struggling with mental health as they just lack any comprehension, understanding or empathy whatsoever!

I was told the NDIS doesn't cover community activities and only covers the assisted transport is that true?

Also I know it's not their language but I also am living with CPTSD and recently came across the term "trauma disability" and for me it was just so much more fitting. Not sure if it will for you but wanted to mention it just in case.

Thank you again for all this detailed info 🙂

Re: Anyone started with the NDIS?

Hi again @-Liz-   The NDIS funds don't cover the actual cost of most community participation activities, but they do cover a support worker's hours to come with you.  And in some cases they cover the activity cost e.g. my water tai chi classes, as they are justifiable ('reasonable and necessary') under my goal of improved health and wellbeing, needed because I have neuromas in my feet and can't do weight-bearing exercise.  Hope this makes sense.

"Trauma disability" does sum it up rather well.  But I think it would be very hard to prove permanence for NDIS criteria.  What my psychologist told them about my cPTSD is that although I can learn to manage it and somewhat ameliorate the symptoms, it is 'lifelong and significant' as I've already had it since around 10 years old (now 56).

Once again the use of ' ' quotes represents NDIS language.

Re: Anyone started with the NDIS?

@eth  Hey eth my ndis meeting I think went well. the ndia person was 'sympathetic' and son2 was mad lol. He could have been alot worse but he was clearly not impressed with what has been occuring for him for the past few years. It has been decided that he will be partially funded which means I will have to put my big girl's pants on and find a couple more carers myself which is very daunting. Funding hopefully will be there i just have to use it apparently.

 

As for me I have much to work on it will be a process. A long drawn out process which I will do with my pdoc and hopefully again the ndis will come to the party with more funding for my mental health worker so I can have her 2 days  week not just one day.

Re: Anyone started with the NDIS?

Hi @greenpea   I'm glad you feel it went well overall.  Might I suggest you have a look at Hireup for finding new support workers.  Once you register on there you can do a job add specifying exactly what you are looking for e.g. qualifications as well as experience in your son's diagnosis and needs.  All the support workers on there are independent of large organisations and can choose their own hours and who they work with.  But you don't have to worry about super, sick pay etc.  Hireup does all that.   I use it and it works really well for me.  Another one I haven't used that's meant to be good is Mabel (Mable? sp.!?).  I can't remember if you're plan, self or agency managed or if you have a support coordinator for him.  I have one now  (CoS) who is a sole trader and he's way better than the one I had from a large organisation in the past.  He really listens to me and helps with choice and control, rather than telling me what I need.  And my plan manager is really good at explaining what services and activities can be done with what part of my plan.

 

Good luck with getting things in place.  I hope you get what you need for yourself too.

Re: Anyone started with the NDIS?

@greenpea   Also Endeavour Foundation and The Growing Space have really good information sheets about how to find the people you need.

Re: Anyone started with the NDIS?

@eth actually higher up was mentioned in the meeting. I will also look into the others thanks for the heads up eth :)x

Re: Anyone started with the NDIS?

Just FYI  it's 'Hireup' (one word) @greenpea   Hope you find it as easy to use as I have.  There's a bit involved in getting started - bio profile, safety plan etc but it's well worth it in my experience.

Illustration of people sitting and standing

New here?

Chat with other people who 'Get it'

with health professionals in the background to make sure everything is safe and supportive.

Register

Have an account?
Login

For urgent assistance