Wellness Coaching Australia's Blog

Very simply, the NDIS supports people by way of funding if they have a permanent and significant disability that affects their ability to take part in everyday activities.

They may access NDIS funding if they:

• have a permanent disability that limits participation in everyday activities 
• are aged less than 65 when they first access the scheme 
• Are an Australian citizen, live in Australia and hold a permanent visa or hold a Protected Special Category Visa.

Once an application for funding has been lodged, the NDIS: 

• considers their existing support and how well it’s working (could include family, friend support);
• looks at the person’s needs and goals, then identifies any gaps in existing services; 
• works out if existing support networks (family, friends, other) can fill those gaps; and
• fund reasonable and necessary supports to help the disabled person achieve their goals.

These ‘supports’ (services) being funded by the NDIS can be broad or specific and may include therapies, equipment, home modifications, mobility equipment, taking part in community activities or assistance with employment. 
Once appropriate services are identified, a tailored plan is created for the individual, considering their needs and goals.

Creating a Plan for Funding

Here is an overview of how it works.

The tailored plan is developed by either:

• the NDIS governing body (either Uniting, St Vincent De Paul) or 
• a contracted NDIS planner (an individual contractor or an Agency like the Disability Trust). 
  
  
• The services and service providers are approved and allocated by the planner. 
• Once funding is allocated, the service providers are formally approached by either the disabled individual or their planning coordinator/consultant; 
• The plan (delivery of services) is implemented by the person, their family and sometimes a support coordinator, and is reviewed and revised annually.

The overarching aim of these plans is that the disabled individual becomes more capable and competent over time and their needs for services change and/or diminish.
Service providers can be registered with NDIS, or not (more on that later).

Professional services that are covered by the NDIS fall into one of three broad areas:

• CORE SUPPORTS – which enable the individual to complete activities of daily living and work towards their goals and objectives. 
• CAPITAL SUPPORTS – an investment such as technology, equipment and home or vehicle modifications, capital costs (e.g. Specialist Disability Accommodation). 
• CAPACITY BUILDING – includes support that enables a participant to build their independence and skills. 

Health and Wellness Coaches may be eligible to provide services under the specific categories within the Core and Capacity Building areas:

• Core Supports: 1.04 Assistance with Social and Community Participation

This could include paying for after school care, vacation care or a training course or camp.

• Capacity Building: 3.07. Coordination of support

This is more of an administrative role, where the service provider helps to coordinate the booking of and interaction with various service providers outlined in the individual’s plan.  

• Capacity Building: 3.09 Increased Social and Community Participation

This item covers tuition fees, art classes, sports coaching, camps or groups that build a person’s relationship and other skills and independence.

• Capacity Building: 3.11 Improved relationships 

This item is more for experienced degree-qualified professionals (e.g. psychologists) who work to reduce or eliminate behaviours of concern. There may be an opportunity for Health and Wellness Coaches to help build individual social skills. 

• Capacity Building: 3.12 Improved health and wellbeing

This includes all activities to support and maintain wellbeing such as personal training, exercise physiology, exercise, health diets and dietetic. Service providers in this category are typically qualified as a personal trainer, exercise physiologist or dietician. 

• Capacity Building: 3.14 Improved life choices

There are several areas within this category that may be relevant for Health and Wellness Coaches, within Planning and Plan Management (that is, their own NDIS plan), or Therapy Services.
There are many ‘line items’ within each category and the full list is available on the NDIS website.

As you can see, there is no necessity to have a Health-related qualification for some of these items. For example, if you're not a personal trainer or a nutritionist, you can still work with NDIS clients in areas such as community participation, relationships, planning or plan management support and coordinating support.

 

The NDIS funding for a disabled person is managed in one of three ways. It is either:

• NDIS managed – the NDIS pays service providers, and they must be approved, NDIS-registered providers
• Agency managed – An NDIS agency like Workability or the Disability Trust pays service providers, and funding is available to either registered NDIS OR unregistered providers
• Self-managed – the individual, their carer or their family pays service providers, and funding is available to either registered NDIS OR unregistered providers.

In any of these situations, the person who manages and distributes NDIS funding for a disabled person takes responsibility for the individuals choice of provider, according to which services have been approved in the plan. 

The criteria for choosing a service and service provider are that they must be:

• Safe
• Allowed within the NDIS framework
• A competent person and provider
• They can't be a member of the individual’s family

They may only want to use NDIS-registered providers, or may only want to use providers with specific qualifications or experience.

The pay rate you receive as a NDIS service provider (registered or unregistered) depends on: 

• whether the client has low, standard or high intensity needs
• the service category chosen, and 
• your qualifications.

Pay rates start at $42.79 per hour, and may range up to $92.53 per hour for different services categories and/or working on weekends or public holidays.
Degree-qualified coaches (e.g. exercise physiologists) may earn up to $143 per hour depending on the service.

While you don’t have to register as a provider, it certainly gives you a better chance of being chosen to provide services, because you: 

• can advertise yourself as a registered provider
• are eligible for all levels of funding management (from NDIS-managed to personally managed plans).
• will be listed on the NDIS website as a registered provider. 

Whether approved or not, service providers may be approached by disabled individuals, the NDIS, or a support coordinator or agency to provide services. 

But at the end of the day, the more people in the industry that you know, the more likely you will be chosen to support someone. 

That means your best chance is to get out there and network! 

Find out who your local disability service providers and agencies are, meet them and introduce yourself. Let them know what you can do and how you could provide support in a positive and empowering way.

As you can tell, the NDIS is fairly complicated and there is an application process to go through.
There is another consideration, too.

Mental health issues are often a comorbidity with disability. 
It means you may be dealing with individuals in complex situations and with complex needs. You may need to coordinate with other providers and be available at odd hours. 
You would probably need to be fairly clear on the boundaries of your role, and to communicate those boundaries clearly from the beginning.

Are you interested in becoming a registered provider?
Click here to learn more and start the application process!