EllieB ’ s Carer Advisory Group
Use it or lose it !
I am referring to your NDIS funding . It appears the NDIS have become quite ruthless and are trying to claw back funding wherever possible . If you do not want to see a reduction in your next plan please keep a close watch on your budget because whatever funds are left in your plan at the expiry date you will lose . We can sometimes forget that appointments may have been cancelled because of illness . Your core budget is the most flexible and can be used in a variety of ways . Please contact EllieB ’ s for assistance on how to make use of all the funds you have available .
In the March 2021 newsletter , I shared my thoughts about the lack of understanding , and sometimes compassion , of some within the medical profession . This time , I would like to share what seems to be occurring with NDIS clients and their funding .
My daughter ’ s last plan , 29 / 7 / 21 , had a shortfall of quite a large amount in Supported Accommodation funding because they did not allow her Active Overnight funding . My Support Coordinator ( SC ) went back to the NDIS Planner who asked us to send in another Roster of Care which shows the times my daughter is supported in her accommodation . This , however , did not solve the problem . The Planner agreed that she should have had the same Active Overnight funding as before . We did not hear back from the Planner but received her new plan without the Active Overnight funding . The SC forwarded their own NDIS documentation which supported what we were requesting . We then asked for a review and were given the same answer ( no ). Now , December 13th , we requested a review of the reviewable and submitted a request to go to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal ( AAT ) at the same time so if the first process failed we had the next process in place . AAT listings of cases all seem to be NDIS issues .
I started immediately collecting anything I could which supported my complaint . When my daughter had a relatively serious medical situation in 2020 , which was not diagnosed for many months , the pain she would have been suffering brought about some behavioural issues . To get support from the NDIS for a Positive Behaviour Support Plan , we required a Functional Capacity Assessment which was undertaken by her
O / T . In one section , she stated that my daughter slept well and in others , kept stating that she required 24 hour care . Staff in her home assist her with toileting overnight which could be 2-3 times a night and keep charts so that she does not have a re-occurrence of her previous problem . They also keep sleep and food charts .
We were all prepared for a scheduled meeting on 31 / 3 / 22 at 12.00 pm . We rang about 10.00 am to see if we could do a trial link-up ( Zoom ) and they informed us the meeting had been cancelled . I now have to wait until 15 / 7 / 22 . My daughter ’ s next plan runs out on 29 / 9 / 22 .
I had a new Psychological Assessment , Hospital Discharge report , G . P . Report , Change of Circumstances , 2 Day Options reports , copies of their own SIL guidelines , Functional Assessment and some other letters of support from her O / T and speech therapist . NDIS ’ argument is that Active Overnight is not reasonable or necessary because of the “ sleeps well ” comment in the Functional Assessment . A comment in their own SIL Guidelines is clear that she should have received the funding but this was removed in November 2021 . Therefore , this should not apply at least to her current plan .
Please read carefully anything you are sending to NDIS . It appears they are focusing on anything they consider not to be reasonable and necessary and yet still quite happy to ignore significant proof you put forward to support your requests . Unfortunately , their interpretation of reasonable and necessary is unlikely to be the same as a parent with a child needing the support of NDIS . What happened to their promise that no one would be worse off under the NDIS .
Good luck with your future plans and please double check all that is submitted to NDIS . Good wishes to another client of EllieB ’ s who will be attending their third case conference with NDIS .
Dawnn Brodie
Dawn Brodie Convenor | EllieB ’ s Carer Advisory Group
4 ebldisabilityservices . org . au