NDIS: Help there if you can jump through hoops

It’s been more than three years since Western Australia signed up for the National Disability Insurance Scheme. There are more than 39,000 people receiving benefits across WA and around 400,000 across the country. The scheme is available to people 7-65 years of age with a “significant or permanent disability” (intellectual, cognitive, sensory, physical and psychosocial).

But many people living with persistent mental health conditions don’t yet know that they might be eligible. And the whole process can be a bit tricky to navigate (as with most of the health and social services landscape). The word “disability” is also a loaded term, particularly for those who don’t identify as being disabled (we already know how pervasive the stigma around mental health is).

So, the language can be a huge barrier. As such, people with a “psychosocial disability” have lower access rates than others. Just over 3500 participants in WA (and around 10 per cent nationwide) are reported as having a psychological condition. Another issue many face is providing the evidence for their claim. Proving the need for long-term mental health support is often challenging. It can also pose a significant financial burden (private consultations aren’t cheap) on those who are already struggling to make ends meet.

However, if a mental health condition “has a substantial impact on your ability to complete everyday tasks” (as per the NDIS criteria) then it’s worth investigating — local advocacy groups and community services can assist here. Additional funding, as well as getting the right kind of help, can make a huge difference in your recovery.

But here’s the clincher — people need to know about the array of support available to them as well as being able to select the most suitable support workers for their needs (we all know that the right people can make all the difference).

This is where app-based tech solutions are making an impact in the market. Organisations like Suitsme in WA help clients (those receiving NDIS benefits) to find and recruit their own support workers. Suitsme is the only app-based NDIS provider specifically dedicated to mental health in WA, as far as founder and chief executive Ben Hawthorn is aware.

There are many general service providers working in the disability sector, though few (compared to the overall number) are specifically focused on mental health.

“We get mental health, we understand that it's episodic, we understand the mental health systems and have designed services to respond to this. Clients are the boss at Suitsme, they are in control of their support.”

The benefit of these kinds of technological solutions is that support can be arranged exactly when clients need it. And it can be “ramped up if clients are going through a rough patch”. The platform is also user-centred and lived experience is at the forefront of design.

“At the heart of it all human connection is really the key,” Mr Hawthorn says.

It’s one reason why choosing support services and workers, who specialise in mental health and know how to respond in a crisis is essential. Doing so can help ensure greater quality of care, reduced harm and provide better recovery-focused outcomes for clients.

And this is why these kinds of organisations are important in the marketplace. They’re user-centred, responsive and quite effective for those who have access to a basic smartphone. The NDIS cost taxpayers $23 billion last year and is estimated to rise to $40 billion over the next three years, so it’s a big resource for people whose lives could be improved through accessing the scheme (if they manage to jump through the hoops).

NDIS: 1800 800 110

This article was first published in The West Australian in Renée Gardiner’s weekly column in Agenda, 17 July 2021.