All supports we fund must meet all the NDIS funding criteria.
One of these criteria is that the support must be most appropriately funded or provided through the NDIS. We can’t fund supports that are more appropriately funded or provided either:
- by other general systems of service delivery or support services, such as a workers compensation scheme
- under a universal service obligation that mainstream services must provide to all Australians, such as schools and public hospitals
- as a reasonable adjustment under discrimination law, such as making places or venues accessible for you.
In short, if it’s more appropriate for another service to provide the community and mainstream supports you need, we can’t fund it in your plan.
We can’t fund supports that mainstream and community services should provide, even if the other service system doesn’t actually provide it. We can’t make up for other organisations and services, where it’s their responsibility to fund or provide a service you need.
We also can't fund community supports if it’s reasonable to expect the community to provide them. For example, we usually can’t include things like family support services in your plan. It’s reasonable to expect community services, like local councils or community support groups, to provide family support services.
When we work out who is most appropriate to fund or provide different supports, we must follow the law for the NDIS. The law sets out the things we need to consider when we work out who should fund or provide different types of supports.
We also follow agreements between state, territory and federal governments. These include:
- the Applied Principles and Tables of Support – a government agreement that sets out the responsibilities of the NDIS and other services, for different types of mainstream supports
- government agreements and new government policies agreed in Disability Reform Ministers’ Meetings .
Remember, all supports we fund must meet all the NDIS funding criteria. If we’re responsible for funding the support, it must also meet all the other NDIS funding criteria before we can include it in your plan.