NDIS Changes

Hey @megamike ,

You are not alone.

There are some pretty big changes. I haven't read into it enough to know exactly what's happening, but I did read one of the first to be exited from NDIS are those with autism with lower needs. Does this mean there is an alternative for them? I don't know.

Also, they will be looking at each participant's functional capacity assessment.

So at this point, I hear you are worried. It is very natural to feel this way.

At the same time, do you feel you have enough understanding to know how it will directly impact you?

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@tyme wrote:

Does this mean there is an alternative for them? I don't know.

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Yes. they will re-establish the state and local council supports which were in place prior to the NDIS

@DogMan79 are you sure local councils are moving into disability support? They're getting out of aged care support mid-2027.

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@Dimity wrote:

@DogMan79 are you sure local councils are moving into disability support? They're getting out of aged care support mid-2027.

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Apparently the systems and schemes from pre-2013 will be re-established

It's been lite on details so far. And Butler and co are negotiating. (I think mostly with states)

I'll also be interested in Schizophrenia sufferers. I think that's another automatic qualifier. As was being on DSP in the early days

Over 60% of psychosocial NDIS cases are schizophrenic. And I've met plenty over the years who admit that they wouldn't qualify by even 2020s standards. So when they get reassessed...

State and Council supports were non-existent. I heard there wasn't anything actually. Ndis provides what didn't exist. I'd imagine they would have to establish new supports run by States and councils. Which does nothing spoken about this and states are a little bit puzzled apparently. Since the states are contributing to the cost of the ndis. It's a total mess at the moment which is causing anxiety.

I don't know what you mean about autism with lower needs. They have levels. The stage 1, stage 2, stage 3 and so on. I'm a stage two in some areas of life. I think a lot of kids with stage 1 were signed up. I'm guessing they would be reassessed and the thriving kids thing activated.

I'm guessing at the very least they will be cutting some of the funding for some of the areas of my supports. I hope it doesn't cut my support work which is the most important part and then followed by psychology.

I'm also worried about the flow and effects that this may have. For example, if I'm removed from ndis, will that affect my disability support pension and my disability community housing place? Obviously I was assessed on these separately. But it has one wonder is this a domino effect?

In any case, it seems like there is no clear answers on people being removed off the system and then nothing provided in return, particularly for adults because they've been talking about like the kids on stage one. Autism being transferred to thriving kids but they had said nothing about adults on various levels of autism and how they're going to treat them, if any are removed from the system. They still need supports.

There is some talk of the decision assessment being switched over to standardized evidence-based assessments. I think autism association Australia CEO is concerned about standardized evidence-based assessments that do one size fits all sort of thing but autism is very nuanced.

They say that standardized evidence-based assessment mean that my eligibility for this scheme will be decided by an objective test of what you can actually do in daily life rather than just a medical diagnosis from a doctor. Well my OT attends my home and they know what issues I deal with on a daily basis and I would imagine an OT assessment would be required going forward and maybe other assessments.

My ndis reviews when I did that last time required an OT and psychologist and art therapist assessments. So it's documented already in the regularly document everything. And if additional reviews are required, they can provide those. In terms of my function problems. Had a lot of trouble looking after myself without the supports especially during lockdowns and for most of my life. But I was silent and I didn't realize I could get help. I had the assessment for 6 months with a psychologist during the proper diagnosis. And that was approved by the ndis.

I guess they're just going to be cutting down some of the services that are in my plan or some of the budget.

I just hoped I don't get kicked out completely because I really need them and I use them. For a certain amount of bad apples we're all paying the consequences.

Perhaps the outcome will be somewhere in the middle, at least in my case. But everyone's case is different and everyone's disability is different on this ndis.

And this is me writing without a filter. Sorry guys.

@megamike they say they will ignore the label (ASD Level 2 etc) and just assess the individual requirements to function in day to day life

And i agree that they probably get to decide what "Function in day to day life" means. Not everyone has the same values. Not everyone wants a family in a house with a white picket fence. But government bodies assume that we all do

So they will ignore the money I spent on assessment with a clinical psychologist and go around with a camera following me in my day to day life? It seems like it should be clinical assessment and functional, not just functional.

And no, I live alone and I have no family. I rely on my supports. I wish I could have a family, but people with autism of different levels of needs some struggle with finding a life partner to form a family. So yeah how will they decide what is functional day to day life?

Ndia have not provided funding based on science based evidence because they dont stay up to date with latest evidence and adjust funding.

@megamike the details of how the assessments will work are still being finalised

There was some articles recently that suggested that new assessments will include components assessed by A.I not humans