1. The National Disability Insurance Scheme
Scheme overview and implementation update
Presenter name Title
National Disability Insurance Agency
Date

2. The NDIS is a new way of delivering disability support
Supports tailored to individual needs
Insurance approach for more stable long term costs and better outcomes
Choice and control is central
Needs driven rather than rationed funding
Delivered in local community
Working towards national coverage

3. We launched the scheme on 1 July 2013
The legislation is the NDIS Act 2013
Government agreements are signed
Council of Australian Governments signed intergovernmental agreement in December 2012
Bilateral agreements were signed in April 2013
There are Heads of Agreement for full scheme in NSW, South Australia, ACT, Tasmania, Victoria and Queensland
Local arrangements in place
The NDIA has seven regional offices across four launch locations open as of 1 July
Our systems and processes were tested locally through site rehearsals prior to launch
We have been focused on talking with people and providers at a local level and will continue to do so over the period of launch

4. There are 7 launch sites being established over the next 3 years
On 1 July 2013, the first stage of the NDIS commenced in
South Australia
Tasmania
The Hunter in NSW and
The Barwon area in Victoria
The ACT and NT will join the first stage on
1 July 2014
Western Australia will commence a two year launch from 1 July 2014
Launch sites commenced on 1 July 2013 in NSW, VIC, SA and Tasmania.
July 2014 launch locations
Australian Capital Territory—for people under 65 years.
By July 2019, all ACT residents with permanent and significant disability who meet the access requirements—around 5,000 people—will be supported by the scheme.
Northern Territory—for people under 65 in the Barkly region who meet the access requirements.
Western Australia – a two year NDIS pilot for people under 65 - about 4,100 people residing in the Perth Hills local government areas of Kalamunda, Mundaring and Swan. The WA government will also commence operating two My Way sites .
Queensland - all people under 65 who meet the access requirements, commencing in July 2016.

5. Our role Delivering the national disability insurance scheme
Building community awareness of disability
Ensuring financial sustainability of the scheme
Collecting, analysing and exchanging data
Developing and enhancing the disability sector
Undertaking research related to disability and supports
Deliver the NDIS
As described in:
The Intergovernmental Agreement for the National Disability Insurance Scheme launch; and
The NDIS legislation
Ensure the financial sustainability if NDIS by:
Funding for individualised reasonable and necessary packages of support
Providing innovative and flexible support to people with disability
Taking a lifetime view of support needs and ensuring a sustainable balance of costs and outcomes
Report and advise on the financial sustainability of the scheme
Develop and enhance the disability sector by:
Successful transitioning of existing sector providers
Identifying and addressing barriers to success
Building a sustainable sector and workforce
Build community awareness of disability by
Managing the expectations of people with disability, their families and cares regarding access to NDIS support in the launch sites
Raising community awareness of disability and the social contributors to capability
Collect, analyse and exchange data about disability and supports
Implement IT systems which capture robust data and produce requisite reports
Analyse and use data to promote awareness and inclusion of people with disability
Undertake research relating to disability and supports
Share information on and learn from successful participant pathways
Modelling future needs, disability prevention, evaluating early interventions and supports etc.

6. Principles and objects of the NDIS Act 2013 underpin delivery
Give effect to obligations under UNCRPD and certain obligations in other conventions
Support independence, social and economic participation – not passive
Provide reasonable and necessary supports, including early intervention
Enable people to exercise choice and control in pursuit of goals, and in planning and delivery of their supports
Facilitate nationally consistent approach to access, planning and funding of supports
Promote provision of high quality, innovative supports to maximise independent lifestyles and full inclusion in the community
Principles expand on the objects for implementation and guide administration
NDIS Act’s first object is to give effect to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
The objects and principles taken together provide a very clear statement of Act’s intentions to support improved social and economic participation for people with significant and permanent disability.

7. A primary aim of the scheme is to increase participation
Consistent with UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities - aim to achieve full social and economic participation of people with disability
Scheme design assumes people with disability will participate to the extent they are able
Increased economic participation translates to better long term outcomes for individuals and communities
Higher participation rates will permanently deal with social constraints of disability
Scheme will work to ensure that other supports, such as employment assistance, that are provided by other systems are accessible
Scheme will fund reasonable and necessary disability supports required to achieve participation
Also focus on individualised approach, funding linked to goals, aspirations and needs, with expectation that support outcomes can be addressed in flexible “participant driven” ways.
Important to acknowledge that Scheme is not intended to, nor will it fund what ought to be rightly funded by other systems.
Acknowledge early days and need to learn from launch.

8. How things are changing under the National Disability Insurance Scheme
Feature
Former system
NDIS
Access criteria
Vary from state to state
Nationally consistent as set out in legislation
Choice and control
Varies from state to state - most people have little say over the supports they receive
Individual has control over the type and mix of supports, delivery and how their funding is managed
Level of assistance
Capped – people may be eligible but can spend years on waiting lists
Demand driven – people with disability get the support they need, when they need it, to make progress towards goals
Funding
Multiple programs within and across governments
Single funding pool (pooling contributions from Commonwealth, States, Territories) administered by NDIA

9. Accessing the scheme
People with disability who meet the access requirements will become participants in the scheme
NDIS has a wide gateway to introduce people to the scheme through multiple channels and touch points
People can use MyAccess Checker to get an indication about whether they will be able to access assistance from the scheme
Gradual intake of participants into the scheme, starting with people in launch locations
Phasing arrangements and other details
Access to the scheme will be gradual to ensure people get the right support
Support will include linkages and referrals in the community and funded support where required.
DisabilityCare eligibility is not linked to receipt of disability support pension
To access assistance from DisabilityCare Australia
Live in Australia as a permanent resident of Australia; and
Be under 65 years of age; and
Meet the disability requirements; and/or
Meet the early intervention requirements
To meet the “disability requirements” means having a significant and permanent disability that affects communication, mobility, self-care or self-management
To meet the “early intervention requirements” means having a disability or developmental delay where early intervention support would likely reduce the person’s future needs for supports in relation to disability
You can only get a clear answer on access by going through the assessment process from July
Whether a person is in receipt of a Disability Support Pension (DSP) or not has no bearing on access for the Scheme. Should a person who is receiving the DSP become access for the Scheme, they would continue to receive the DSP. This is because DisabilityCare funding will remain separate from any income support payments.
Wide Gateway
The pathway uses a wide gateway to provide information about the Scheme for everyone through the Agency and multiple points in the broader human service system. The gateway harnesses generic disability, community and mainstream supports through local area coordination (LAC) and the Agency local presence. The LAC community development role and access to generic disability assistance (such as provided by many disability specific groups link vision Australia support to vision impaired) are available in the gateway.
My Access Checker
Potential participants can also self-report support needs to inform access using the Agency My Access Checker. This short tool asks demographic and support needs questions and will provide the individual with an indication as to their eligibility and, where likely to be eligible, they are encouraged to make contact with the Agency.
If asked about developmental delay
Consideration of needing permanent disability with early intervention is being considered in some redrafting of the rules - you may get drawn on this issue - particularly relevant with developmental delay

10. Early intervention requirements
You may meet the early intervention requirements if:
You have a permanent impairment
And
There is evidence that getting supports now (early interventions) will help you by either:
Reducing how much help you need to do things now and in the future or
Helping your family and carer to keep helping you

11. Developing the Statement of Supports takes into account
Sustainable informal care
Records informal care that will be provided
Talk with the family about sustainable arrangements into the future.
Reasonable expectations of care by family
Optimise mainstream supports
Not funded by NDIS
Plan records nature, referral and support to access to be provided
NDIS will not provide supports that should be provided in mainstream
General supports
Services provided by Agency e.g.
Provision of information
Local area co-ordination to assist person to access mainstream or other community services
NDIS calls for a person people with significant and permanent disability to provide their Participant statement – context, current supports and goals and aspirations
The approved Statement of Supports summarises the outcome of the goal based planning discussion and specifically what they can receive and this is no longer defined by which jurisdiction is doing the planning or funding
Identify the Reasonable and Necessary Supports
Provides funding for support reasonable and necessary support to achieve goals
Assist independence, social, economic, community participation
Effective or beneficial for the participant, having regard to current good practice

12. Management of funding for supports to be resolved with Participant
Self management
(by participant or nominee)
Agency Management
National Disability Insurance Agency
Plan Management Provider
The type of funds management that the participant chooses can vary depending on their circumstances.
Different options can be chosen for different supports.
Plans may have a combination of the options as shown.
Agency can limit self management where financial or personal risk.
Most importantly, the participant exercises choice in, and control over, that support.
NDIS also aims to ensure that people with disability that are not able to access the scheme receive linking and referral supports where they need this assistance, to access mainstream services and community life.
Agency then uses statement and strength-based needs assessment to do a goal based plan with the participant and where relevant their family or carer – process takes into account access to mainstream systems and ensuring that informal supports are sustainable
NDIS reform agenda also assumes a different decision making context for individuals and their families:
Individual capacity to engage on goal based planning will differ, as will their context and previous life opportunities
Individuals and families are responding well to objective discussions around options to support participation and which will impact on life opportunities over time.
Project in TAS will inform what is possible at key life transition from school to work – how an integrated approach to planning might produce better participation outcomes for both the student and their family.

13. NDIA role to build individual, community and sector capacity
Practical Design Fund projects are available via our website
My Choice, My Control, My Future: DisabilityCare Australia conference on 23 and 24 June The proceedings are available on the NDIA website
Sector development fund
Likely to be applied to needs of individuals, community and provider readiness
Building on previous work by jurisdictions
Roundtable discussions with the not for profit sector, stakeholders and key interest groups have taken place and more are planned
Transition of people and programs into the scheme will be gradual to allow time to build capacity of individuals and sector
Practical design fund (PDF) – 73 projects commissioned – they were delivered in June and are currently being made accessible for publishing on the website. Those that are on the website are avaialble under the Providers tab. Some of them were profiled at national conference. The PDFs are an initiative that deliver practical solutions and innovative ways to assist people with disability, their families and carers, as well as service providers, get ready for the new scheme.
Sector development fund
The fund is now agreed.
Projects will include capacity building, transition support and change management, workforce planning and development, and support for service quality and innovation.
Funding includes:
Arrangements are in place to transfer funds totalling $3.31 million over four years to extend the evaluation of the NDIS to improve its ability to:
measure outcomes for a diverse range of people with disability by increasing the sample size of the longitudinal survey of people with disability
compare outcomes for older NDIS participants and people receiving consumer directed care through the aged care system
measure impacts on workforce through an expanded workforce survey
A contract with First People’s Disability Network has been signed, providing $990,000 including GST over three financial years to assist Indigenous Australians to benefit from the NDIS.
New models of remote service delivery will be trialled for Indigenous communities on the APY Lands and around Ceduna SA
The Request for Quotation closed 12 June for a consultant or consultants to assist identified providers with cash flow management planning is in development. Expected to commence from late June.
Roundtable discussion with the not for profit sector have occurred in NSW, Tasmania and Victoria, with a nationally focused discussion also held in Canberra (NFP peaks). More will be planned in early 2014
The inaugural NDIS conference, My Choice, My Control, My Future, was held in Melbourne at the Convention and Exhibition Centre June The conference centred around better practice and launching the scheme, bringing together more than 1,000 Australians (registrations for the conference were received very quickly). It was also an opportunity to hear about a number of the PDF projects. There was be a number of high-profile speakers at the event including Minister Macklin. The conference proceedings including transcripts will be available on the website shortly. Incoming Chair Bruce Bonyhady’s speech from the conference can be found on the website now under the ‘News’ tab.

14. People from diverse backgrounds contributed to design
Specific activities that have included CALD community are:
Small group sessions in the Barwon Area and Hunter Area
Participation in the Alliance CALD roundtable
Federation of Ethnic Communities Council Australia (FECCA) represented at Not For Profit with Minister Macklin
Agency’s field testing of assessment process with CALD groups
Specific outcomes from these have been:
Cultural sensitivity training for frontline staff
Consultants engaged to assist in addressing the particular needs of CALD communities in launch sites including translated materials
Ongoing engagement with CALD communities will occur.

15. People with disability from Indigenous backgrounds
Indigenous people and organisations - a priority target group for engagement
Experience a significantly higher rate of disability compared to non-indigenous people
Recognised that many Indigenous people with disability do not identify as having a disability
Indigenous planners and LACs employed in each launch site to ensure scheme is accessible to Indigenous people
Scheme launch in Barkly region of NT in July 2014 – will help to inform future roll out to Indigenous people
First People’s Disability Network (Sector Development Fund
Sector Development Fund granted to raise awareness, build capacity of people and organisations, improve cultural competence and increase Indigenous workforce

16. People with mental illness
A person may meet the disability requirements if they have a permanent impairment due to a psychosocial disability
NDIS will be responsible for non-clinical supports for participants with psychosocial disability. These could include:
Support for community integration and day-to-day living
Therapy that would manage or reduce the functional impact of the psychiatric impairment
Support to independently access and maintain participation in mainstream community resources
Skills and capacity building at the community level
Supported residential accommodation that is non-clinical

17. Disability requirements
Accessing support from the scheme requires that:
You have a permanent disability
Your disability has a big impact on your day to day life and on your ability to participate in your community
You are going to need supports for the rest of your life

18. Progress so far has been good
Over 1,200,000 unique visitors to the website
The website receives between 2,000 and 5,000 visits each day
More than 40,000 people have visited My Access Checker with over 25,000 completing it
More than 2000 people have walked into NDIS shopfronts
Received close to 3000 access requests
Over 2,200 plans have commenced or completed
Those who have had their first planning session reported a high level of satisfaction with the process

19. Key Achievements:
116 staff on-boarded and ready for 1 July 2013
14% are people with lived experience
Colac Office opened 5 months ahead of schedule
Over 280 Registered Providers.
Over 500 people have developed a plan
Simone, Lynne and Tina:

20. There is lots of work still to do
Continued engagement with people, providers and the community
Movement of National Office to Geelong
Building the capacity of Agency to respond to increase in participants
Evaluation and feedback about the scheme including preparation for independent evaluation of first stage
Preparation of 2014 launch sites (ACT, NT and WA) as well as 2016 rollout in Queensland

21. Questions?