Supporting Potential’s Post

In light of so much happening lately and the stories we see in the media and shared between colleagues and within the disability community, I feel compelled to act. We're stronger together, and now, more than ever, we need solidarity among disability workers and the disability community if we have any hope of getting the NDIS back on track. To that end, I'm calling on participants and providers to help by sharing their stories and experiences. By collecting our stories, experiences and impacts of the changes to NDIS from October 2023, my hope is to demonstrate to the media and government the mass of people willing to speak openly about how they've been impacted by the national rollout of PACE, the Fraud Taskforce and the Federal Budget. Some impacts that I've been made aware of are: 🔴 Nursing care providers unable to make weekly payroll due to CoC delays 🔴 Participants waiting more than 6+ months for a CoC to be processed 🔴 Participants during this long wait, having their funds entirely exhausted and loss of services and support 🔴 Providers who haven't been paid for over 3 weeks due to payment delays 🔴 Participants being taken to hospital emergency departments for care when funding runs out 🔴 Providers closing down or downsizing their organisation 🔴 Funds being slashed without transparent or respectful communication 🔴 Businesses refusing to work with NDIS providers due to difficulties in being paid in a timely way 🔴 Unexpected phonecalls from LACs without warning to participants 🔴 A surge in LACs and Planners denying evidenced report recommendations These are all relevant, and the anecdotal evidence we want to collect and share. Please help us get our voices heard by completing the form below, and sharing this with your networks. https://lnkd.in/gvsGBjgJ Thank you! #NDIS #ndis #ndisprovider #ndisproviders #occupationaltherapy #physio #supportcoordinator #socialworker #disability #disabilityrights #humanrights #federalbudget24 #budget24 #auspol #disabled

"Our recommendations How consultation has happened 1. Make more time for consultation is needed. 2. Make sure all the papers are accessible and given to everyone in remote areas. 3. Tell people why this change is needed. 4. Tell people why there is no co-design happening. 5. Do better at coordination of the many consultations by DSS so more time is given to people to respond. 6. Tell people the next steps and if it will be co-designed. Using lists for NDIS Supports 7. Think about other ways to talk about NDIS Supports and how people should use their funding. 8. Explain why a list is being used. 9. Make flexibility and innovation core principles of decisions about funding. 10. Make sure people with disability are getting support to understand how to use their funding. Problems with the lists 11. Include paying rent for a live in support person and people in hostels. 12. Shift products that can help personal safety to be in the NDIS Support list. 13. Change the disability related heath supports list be flexible for support in hospital. 14. Make exceptions where there is value for money to do things differently. 15. Include personal hygiene and grooming services as NDIS Supports for those who needs them. 16. The NDIA should make a policy on what is a therapy support and evidence. 17. The lists need to not disadvantage people with diverse backgrounds. 18. Make a guide showing where people can get support not covered by NDIS. 19. Make a policy for any exception process that is easy to follow and fair."

"The (NDIS Support) lists are incoherent, heavy handed, and, worst of all, inconsistent with the purpose of the NDIS and with larger reforms the scheme needs to be sustainable. For the sake of public confidence in the NDIS, there may be good reason to create a shortlist of supports that are illegal or at odds with public expectations about the appropriate use of public funds. But trying to codify all supports that are ‘in’ or ‘out’ is a fruitless exercise. The government should ditch its 17-page list and focus reform efforts on bringing the NDIS back to its original design intent as a world-leading system of self-directed disability support." https://lnkd.in/g_9tMmDH

The NDIS is facing a critical moment. While I applaud the government's efforts to crack down on fraudulent providers, the recent changes are raising serious concerns. The question remains: How did the situation with dodgy providers get to this point? What factors were considered, but more importantly, what was overlooked, and where did the system fall short? Did the government truly prioritise the needs of participants and legitimate providers? Now, with the introduction of new eligibility criteria, the statement "for most people, not much will change" is a concerning oversimplification. While this may be true for some, it's far from the reality for many participants who rely heavily on NDIS support. Reduced budgets, limited support, and the burden placed on genuine providers are exacerbating the challenges faced by people with disabilities. The NDIS must ensure that these changes do not disproportionately impact those who need it most. We need clarity and action. The government have serious questions to answer and significant reforms to address. It’s time to scrutinize the true purpose of the NDIS system—what it was really meant to offer versus what it is currently delivering. The integrity of the NDIS, the support services, and the well-being of participants, their families, and the providers who are striving to do their best with limited support and backup from the NDIA are all at stake. NDIS providers are here because there was a plan and a vision—what has happened to that vision? #ProtectParticipants #NDISReform #NDISChanges #GovernmentAccountability #FixTheNDIS #CommunitySupport

The NDIS Maze—If We’re Confused, What About Our Clients? As NDIS providers, we’re expected to navigate the ever-changing system like pros. But let’s be real: the constant updates, guidelines, and compliance requirements can leave even the most experienced of us scratching our heads. If we’re feeling the pressure and confusion, imagine what it’s like for the individuals and families living with a disability who rely on these services. For them, every change can feel like a setback, making an already difficult journey even more overwhelming. They trust us to help guide them, and when we don’t have all the answers, it can make them feel lost. This is where the heart of the NDIS lies—not just in policies or paperwork but in people. It’s time to go back to fundamentals. What matters most isn’t just navigating the system but showing genuine care and support for each other. We all crave the same thing: connection, care, and community. So while we figure out the complexities, let’s not forget to be the compassionate providers our clients need us to be.

This bill takes NDIS so far from what NDIS was intended to be, why it was created in the first place. I personally believe this bill needs to be shelved and redone with more safety for people with disabilities, less imminent harm and deaths obviously going to come from the bill, and far more co-design from participants using NDIS as well as our specialists who understand our disabilities best. There must Always be recourse when mistakes are made. There must Always be a safety net first the most vulnerable when an NDIS plan isn’t fit for purpose or suitable, or meeting essential disability needs which follow the Reasonable and Nescessary NDIS guidelines. You don’t further disable and silence disabled people to save money. You don’t put our lives at risk. That is not understanding disability or human worth, and is ableist. NDIS needs to be non-ableist in 2024. Inclusive, safe, trauma-informed, and non-discriminatory. Even Legal Aid has a program (With You) to become trauma-informed. Society is heading this direction more and more, and NDIS is a crucial place which needs to lead by example. It’s about safety and having better outcomes. That saves money over time.

These are very important questions 👇 What exactly is achieved through mandatory registration?

📢 Catch up with NDIS CEO Rebecca Falkingham: Legislative Changes and Reforms Join NDIS CEO Rebecca Falkingham as she discusses critical updates on the latest legislative changes and reforms to the NDIS. In this video, she covers key learnings including: - Streamlining processes to improve participant experience - Increasing transparency and accountability within the NDIS - Upcoming reforms aimed at making the system more accessible and sustainable - Impairment notices will be issued to explain what disabilities participants are actually funded for. Whether you're an NDIS participant, provider, or someone looking to understand these significant changes, this video provides essential insights into how these reforms will impact the future of the NDIS. 🎥 Watch the full video here: [Catch up with the NDIS CEO] (- https://lnkd.in/gJUKqESz) Thanks to @Summer Foundation for conducting and capturing this interview. For subscribers in our private Warrior Community we have emailed a link to this video interview. Join our community at https://lnkd.in/gHXfGhtH Stay informed and empowered—together we can shape a more inclusive future! 🌿 Empowering futures, together. #NDIS #RebeccaFalkingham #LegislativeReforms #WholeWarriorNetwork #Empowerment #NDISproviders #NDISreform #NDISlegislation

My Grattan Institute submission for the Section 10 consultation on the transitional NDIS Supports rule now in force. Fair to say I’m not a fan of the Lists. Both the specific Lists we have, and the whole concept of lists for this purpose in the first place. Even if these lists were desirable (they are not), they will prove impossible to operationalise in practice. The Section 10 List is a fix for the old system rather than a framework that supports the evolution to the new one we urgently need. We are where we are for now, but government should confirm the timeline for development of a permanent rule, which needs to be rather better than the one we've got today. https://lnkd.in/gWvcPTRc

I must say I welcome the Federal Government's decision to move forward with mandating registration for platform providers, support coordinators and SIL providers. This is an important and logical step in providing suitable, systemic regulation and protections for many Australians supported by the NDIS. https://lnkd.in/g2tMNXkc. #BillShorten #NDIS #NDISQualityandSafeguardsCommission