When we say disability support needs, we mean supports you need for the impairments that meet the disability or early intervention requirements, or both.
Case
Jing’s disability makes it hard for him to breathe and keep his airways clear and free from infection. He needs to regularly use life support equipment. He lives in an area that can have an unreliable power supply.
Jing asks for funding for a generator to back up his power supply. This is because he worries that without the life support equipment, he’ll get sick and need to go into hospital.
Would we fund this?
No, we would not fund a generator for Jing as it’s not an NDIS support.
Learn more about NDIS supports.
Why wouldn’t we fund it?
NDIS laws determine what we can and can’t fund. Things we can fund are called NDIS supports. You can only use the funding in your plan to buy NDIS supports if they are related to your disability and are in-line with your plan.
State and territory governments are responsible for supplying power sources or back-up generators. These supports are not NDIS supports.
State and territory governments may provide a range of electricity and gas rebates and concession programs for electricity or gas costs. Check with your provider as to what assistance you may be eligible for.
Services Australia also has a payment that can assist with energy running costs for heating or cooling, medical needs and essential medical equipment.
Learn more about who can get essential medical equipment payment and how much you can get .
There are registers for emergency medical essential power to make sure the power suppliers are aware of people with disabilities who have specific power needs.
It’s also a good idea to make sure any medical equipment back-up batteries are always fully charged and you have a list of emergency numbers for someone nearby, your GP or local hospital to assist you if the power goes out.
Please talk with your my NDIS contact if you need help to register for this, or another government scheme.
For more information about emergency medical essential power in your area, please go to your state or territory government website:
What else do we think about?
Some assistive technology devices, such as respiratory equipment, are supplied with back-up batteries for emergencies or to make them easier to carry on short trips.
We may fund batteries for some types of assistive technology, so they can work outside of the home.
For example, we may provide respiratory equipment with batteries to help Jing participate in community activities.
Case example
Jane is 7 years old. She has an acquired brain injury and is paralysed on one side of her body. This means she has difficulty breathing.
Jane relies on suctioning equipment to keep her airways clear and prevent aspiration pneumonia. The portable suction equipment is powered by electricity and she needs access to it wherever she goes.
There have been a series of power disruptions in the area where Jane lives. Her mother, who is Jane’s child representative, asks us for funding for:
- a back-up generator
- petrol to fuel the generator
- a replacement rechargeable battery for Jane’s 2-year-old suction equipment as the existing battery is no longer charging effectively.
To work out whether funding for the generator and its operating costs is an NDIS support for Jane, we look at the information Jane’s mother provides us against the NDIS funding criteria.
In Jane’s case, the planner decides that we would not fund a generator as it’s not an NDIS support.
The planner then looks at the request for the replacement battery and decides:
- the suctioning equipment is an NDIS support. It is a disability related health support (DRHS) assistive technology. It helps Jane with her respiration support needs
- we have provided funding for the suctioning equipment, and this is working for Jane’s disability support needs. The replacement of the battery is part of maintaining the equipment in good working order. The replacement battery also provides sufficient power supply to allow time for Jane to get help if there was a prolonged power outage
- the rechargeable battery will help Jane go to school and take part in community activities.
The planner decides:
- the back-up generator and fuel consumables are not NDIS supports, and does not approve the funding
- the rechargeable battery replacement for Jane’s suctioning equipment is an NDIS support for her and approves the funding.
For more information, go to: