The rollout, the reflection and relationships.
The City of Darebin was one of the first Local Government Areas to be a part of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) national roll-out beginning 1 July 2016.
As an established private practice located in Darebin, with a strong reputation for supporting clients with complex needs, we were definitely excited to see what support the NDIS would be able to provide our families, but truth-be-told, we were also slightly nervous. Being the first scheme of its kind, we knew that some teething problems were to be anticipated.
The initial roll out was a challenging period, with families (and providers) uncertain of the process and required steps. At times we simply chose to be flexible and to continue providing services for clients and “work the paperwork out as we go”. Luckily many agencies we worked with, and families too, have understood the complexities as we learned the new system together. This has resulted in some really strong working relationships emerging!
A year on, we are proud to say we have embraced the NDIS and are working very closely with our families to provide them with the highest level of care from the moment they first contact our clinic.
We have streamlined processes in place to meet new families and ensure we have a good understanding of their plan and goals, and our team of therapists is committed to supporting clients and families to reach them.
For many clients, the NDIS funding has provided an unprecedented opportunity to access services and identify areas they would like to work on. We gain great pleasure from providing supports for families who have clearly identified what they need, and want to partner with a clinical team to achieve their outcomes.
Working in collaboration with Service Co-ordinators and Community Agencies has allowed us to develop great working relationships as we work together to identify which clinicians can best support a client or family, and consider how we can tailor our services to meet their needs.
There are different ways families can use their NDIS funds with our team, these include;
- Clients may choose to have us working in their care home with them, to assess their needs and then to make recommendations about equipment or seating, training carers in mealtime supports, or establish communication systems (including technology).
- Clients or families can choose to see us specifically for one service (e.g. Occupational Therapy) and combine those sessions with their other providers / agencies. Our DWSP clinician then works in collaboration with other agencies providing services to ensure effective communication between all service providers and the family.
- Some families choose to access all services under one roof – including keyworker and co-ordination of all therapies. We then co-ordinate their timetable, ensure we are also offering community based support, and provided tailored, streamlined care to help each client meet their goals.
For further information on the NDIS, please take a look at our NDIS Resource Page. If you have any questions or would like to book an appointment with us, please don’t hesitate to give us a call on 03 8376 6399.
Note:
- The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is funded by the Commonwealth Government.
- The National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) is the Commonwealth Government Agency that oversees the NDIS.