The NDIS

Mental Health & The NDIS

• The inclusion of people with mental health concerns into the NDIS was relatively late in the design process.
• Different features of disability related to mental health than those associated with physical, sensory and/or learning difficulties.
• Not enough attention was initially placed on the needs of people with mental health concerns.
• Problems in implementing The Act particularly related to people with mental health concerns.
• In particular the concepts of ‘permanence’ and ‘reasonable and necessary supports’.

What’s been done to address the problems

Mental health and the NDIS: A literature Review undertaken by NDIA and Mind (August 2014) requested clarification on 3 main areas:

1. Definition and determination of “permanence” of disability associated with mental health issues.
2. Determining what the ‘reasonable and necessary supports needed for a cohort with fluctuating illness course, highly individualised and difficult to predict’.
3. Impact of psychosocial disability and supports needed.

August 2017 – Joint Standing Committee on the NDIS undertook an inquiry into the provision of services under the NDIS for people with psychosocial disabilities related to a mental health condition.

24 recommendations

• Six relating to amendments to eligibility (permanency, include recovery-oriented practices, early intervention, mh assessment tool, monitoring and transitional arrangements for PIR, PHaMs, D2DL and MHCR.
• Six recommendations to planning (training PHCare, LAC, advocacy and outreach services post NDIS rollout, more flexible plans, carer engagement in planning).
• Six recommendations to improve Continuity of Support (State & territory govts provision of services for non NDIS participants, audit existing programs, new role for MH Commission, carer support, service gaps in rural & remote, provider of last resort).
• Three ILC Recommendations to monitor, review and provide specific mental health ILC funding.
• Three recommendations to improve supports for Forensic disability services.

Psychosocial Disability.

Psychosocial disability is an internationally recognised term under the United Nations Convention of the Rights of Persons with Disability.

• It is used to describe the experience of people with impairments and participation restrictions related to mental health conditions.
• Not everyone with a mental health condition will experience psychosocial disability.
• NDIS supports people whose mental health condition causes them high levels of psychosocial disability.

For further information, please visit the following websites

https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2016C00934

https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/disability/Factsheets/NDIS-and-mental-health.pdf