Navigating NDIS – For Newcastle and Hunter Region Residents

Navigating NDIS – For Newcastle and Hunter Region Residents

The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) represents a transformative approach to supporting Australians with disabilities. Designed to provide individuals with the necessary funding to access a wide range of supports and services, the NDIS aims to improve the quality of life for people in need of comprehensive disability support. For residents of Newcastle, Maitland, and the Hunter region, understanding how to navigate NDIS can be crucial in accessing the support they need. This comprehensive guide will help individuals and families understand the intricacies of NDIS and how to effectively utilise it.

What is NDIS?

The NDIS is an Australian government initiative that provides funding to individuals with a permanent and significant disability. This funding is used to support a variety of needs, including personal care, therapy services, equipment, and participation in community activities.

Key Components of the NDIS

Eligibility

To be eligible for the NDIS, individuals must meet certain criteria. These include:

  • Age (under 65 at the time of application)
  • Residency (must be an Australian citizen or hold a permanent visa or Protected Special Category visa)
  • Disability requirements (permanent and significant disability that affects the ability to perform daily activities).

NDIS plans

The NDIS offers personalised plans that cater to the specific needs of each participant. These plans are developed in collaboration with a local Newcastle NDIS provider and outline the support and services required.

NDIS Funding

  • NDIS funding is used for a variety of supports, including:
  • Core support such as daily activities, community access and transport.
  • Capital supports such skills development or home modifications
  • Capacity-Building Supports such as employment or social support

How To Access the NDIS in Newcastle and the Hunter Region

  • Check Eligibility: Before applying, ensure you meet the eligibility criteria. The NDIS website offers an eligibility checklist that can help determine if you qualify.
  • Gather Documentation: Collect relevant documents, such as medical reports and assessments, to support your application. This evidence should detail the impact of your disability on daily life.
  • Assessment and Planning Meeting: If your application is accepted, you will be contacted to arrange a planning meeting. During this meeting, you will discuss your goals and the support you need. This can be done with an NDIS provider.
  • Plan Approval: Once your plan is approved, you will receive a copy outlining the funding and support available to you. You can then start using your NDIS plan.

Residents of Newcastle, Maitland, and the Hunter region have access to several local resources that can assist with navigating the NDIS funding. There are numerous registered NDIS service providers in the region like Solid Holistic Care, offering a range of support, from therapy services to community participation programs.

How To Get The Most Out of Your NDIS Plan with a Newcastle Support Provider

To get the most out of your NDIS plan in Newcastle and the Hunter region, partnering with a support provider like Solid Holistic Care can be highly beneficial. Solid Holistic Care offers personalised support, ensuring that your unique needs and goals are prioritised. Their experienced team can help you navigate the complexities of the NDIS, from budgeting your funds effectively to selecting the right services. By providing tailored advice and continuous support, they ensure that you utilise your funding efficiently, maximising the benefits of your NDIS plan. Their holistic approach integrates various support services, enhancing your independence and quality of life. With their local expertise and dedicated care, Solid Holistic Care can help you achieve your NDIS goals, making the process smoother and more effective.

Navigating the NDIS can be a rewarding journey that opens up opportunities for improved quality of life and independence. For residents of Newcastle, Maitland, and the Hunter region, understanding how to access and maximise NDIS funding is crucial. By following this guide and utilising local support providers like Solid Holistic Care, you can effectively manage your NDIS plan and achieve your goals!

Are you Eligible for NDIS Funding?

Are you Eligible for NDIS Funding?

What is the NDIS?

The NDIS offers funding to qualifying persons with disabilities in order for them to spend more time with family and friends, achieve more freedom, obtain access to new abilities, employment, or volunteer in their community, and have a better quality of life. The NDIS also connects people with disabilities to community services. This contains links to physicians, community groups, athletic clubs, support groups, libraries, and schools, as well as information about the services offered by each state and territory government. The NDIS currently assists over 500,000 Australians with disabilities in gaining access to the services and support they require. This involves assisting about 80,000 children with developmental delays in receiving early intervention to ensure the greatest possible results throughout their lives. Read below to see if you’re eligible for NDIS funding.

 

Eligibility Requirements

You must fulfil the eligibility requirements before you may receive assistance from the NDIS.

To be eligible for the NDIS, you must:

  • You must be under the age of 65.
  • You must be a citizen of Australia, a permanent resident, or have a Protected Special Category Visa (SCV).
  • You must have an impairment that limits your ability to perform daily tasks. The condition must be acknowledged as requiring reasonable and required assistance’ under the NDIS, OR you must be a child under the age of six with a developmental delay that can be minimised with early intervention services.

 

Age Requirement

If you are above the age of 65, you are not eligible to apply for NDIS support under the NDIS access criteria. This is due to the NDIS, according to its principles, is “part of a broader system of support in Australia, [and] people over 65 should access the aged care system.”

However, if you began getting NDIS benefits before the age of 65, you can continue to receive them until you reach the age of 65 and beyond.

 

Residence Requirement

When an individual applies for the NDIS, residence criteria apply, and they continue to apply once a person becomes a participant. If you do the following, you will fulfil the residency requirements:

  • Australia is where I call home.
  • Are an Australian citizen, or have a permanent resident visa or a Special Category Visa (SCV).

If you fail to satisfy the residency criteria, your NDIS eligibility may be revoked.

 

Living with a Disability

You must have a disability that limits your ability to perform daily tasks. Communication, social engagement, learning, mobility, and self-care are all examples of this. The condition must also be acknowledged as requiring reasonable and essential services’ under the NDIS.

 

Why Solid Holistic Care?

An experienced Registered Nurse developed Solid Holistic Care. It is a rapidly expanding firm that provides person-centred care in participants home, community participation, Short Term or Medium Term accommodation (STA or MTA) and in a supported independent living (SIL) environment.

Solid Holistic Care respects and supports participants’ fundamental right to live independently in their own homes and communities with dignity and respect, as well as choice and inclusion in relation to their support needs, and participants are free to engage an advocate and/or representative of their choice.

Our mission is to provide exceptional services for people with a disability through immaculate support and to empower the people Solid Holistic Care supports to reach their goals and aspirations. If we sound like the right Newcastle NDIS provider for you, then get in contact with the team today!

Using your NDIS Funds Lawfully

Using your NDIS Funds Lawfully

Anyone who has access to NDIS funds must abide by all applicable Australian laws, rules, and regulations. Solid Holistic Care will assist you in making legal use of your NDIS funds. We aim to assist you in making the correct decision.

When deciding what assistance to purchase with your NDIS funding, you have both rights and duties. We will discuss this further below.

 

Your Responsibilities

You are responsible for ensuring that the supports:

  • Are in direct relation to your disability and in accordance with your strategy.
  • Other service systems or organisations (such as Medicare or commercial health insurance) do not cover or provide this service.

If you self-manage your NDIS funds, you must keep records of what you spend them on (for example, invoices, receipts, pay slips, and bank statements).

 

Your Rights

You have the legal right to:

  • Choose who provides your assistance and how they do it. You are not required to utilise a single supplier for all of your services.
  • If you believe a supplier is not operating in your best interests, do not utilise them.
  • Enquire whether a supplier has a conflict of interest.
  • Not feel compelled to purchase services or assistance that you do not want or require
  • Pay for assistance at a fair and acceptable charge. If you are NDIA-managed or plan-managed, you must adhere to the NDIS Pricing Arrangement and Price Limits.
  • Choose what personal information you disclose to a supplier so that they can provide services.

There is a service called the NDIS Quality and Safeguards commission that works with providers such as us to ensure that you can get support that gives you choice and control.

 

Why Solid Holistic Care?

Solid Holistic Care was developed to enhance the way persons with disabilities and the elderly get home care support in Australia. We endeavour to provide culturally sensitive treatment to all of our customers who have the same or comparable cultural background wherever feasible.

Solid Holistic Care recognises that care administered by a carer who shares the same cultural background as the client promotes a safe atmosphere, trust, and acceptability of care, hence improving quality of life.

Solid Holistic Care is a registered NDIS provider based in Newcastle NSW. We provide disability support services for clients across the Hunter region in Newcastle, Lake Macquarie, Maitland and Port Stephens. We specialise in a range of disability support services including Supported Independent Living (SIL), Respite Care, Community Access.

Fill out our expression of interest form today to discuss how we can assist you.