We need to know that an assistance animal is value for money.
When we think about value for money, we look at:
- if there are other supports that will help you in the same way for a lower cost. These could include other types of assistive technology , therapy supports or behaviour supports
- whether there’s evidence that an assistance animal will be of long-term benefit to you. For example, we’ll look at how the assistance animal will help you to do things or manage your disability in a better way
- how the assistance animal could help you to be more independent and rely less on other NDIS funded and informal supports. We’ll also think about how long it would take to reduce your need for those supports
You might have funding in your plan for a support worker to help you get around in the community.
An assistance animal may be better value for money. This is because you may not need the support worker to help you get around in the community once you have an assistance animal.
Example
Rani has an acquired brain injury which affects her ability to concentrate as well as her balance and coordination.
Rani has a support worker funded in her plan for 20 hours a week to help her get around in the community. This might include supporting her to go to the shops and the library.
When we decide if an assistance animal is value for money for Rani, we look at the cost of a support worker over the long term. We then look at the cost of an assistance animal over that same period.
If Rani had an assistance animal, it might replace or reduce the need for a support worker for most or all of those hours.
We would look at whether the assistance animal could help Rani do the same or more than she is able to with a support worker.
An assistance animal could also help her be more independent.
Rani would be able to get around in the community when she wants to, rather than wait for her support worker.
We would need to see if the assistance animal is better value for money in the long term.