Sort Your Support

I’m looking forward to joining others on the panel at this Hireup online event! 😎 Together we will discuss the pros and cons of using NDIS registered and unregistered service providers.

It will be held on Tuesday, November 1 at 12 PM AEST. The event is free, so please consider registering here: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/navigating-the-ndis-funding-and-registration-status-tickets-423896003357

We will all do our best to answer your questions during the event, so please come along as I would love to hear from you! – Carl 👨‍🦼

Bill Shorten, the Minister for the NDIS, has announced that a review into the NDIS will happen this year. This review (known as the NDIS Review) was set to occur next year, however Minister Shorten has brought it forward as acknowledgement that a lot of work needs to be done to fix the issues with the NDIS as well as restore peoples trust in the scheme.

Importantly, Minister Shorten indicated he is confident the NDIS is sustainable, and that the review will be a positive thing for people with disability, their families, and carers.

The NDIS Review will be conducted by the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, as opposed to the NDIA or Department of Social Services (DSS). This should make the findings more transparent and honest, which would hopefully lead to large, positive changes being made to how the NDIS operates.

Professor Bruce Bonyhady will be the co-chair of the NDIS Review and stated that it “Has to belong to people with a disability. We are going to engage with them on this review in order to ensure that the NDIS does meet people’s expectations as originally intended.”

If you want to find out more about the NDIS Review, please check out the website here: www.ndisreview.gov.au

Please get involved if you can! – Carl 👨‍🦼

Sort Your Support now has capacity to take on new NDIS participants for Support Coordination. We can support individuals nationwide through phone, email, and video chat – as well as offering face to face meetings in Melbourne 😎

With no waitlist, you can work with one of our friendly and knowledgeable Support Coordinators immediately. Please get in touch by calling us on 0450 731 406 or emailing [email protected] 🙂

‘NDIS Know-how’ is a podcast series sponsored by Hireup that “asks parents how they get the very best NDIS plan and ample funding to support their kid.” In this episode, I spoke with host, Melanie Dimmitt, about NDIS plan reviews. Discussing what they are, how to ask for them, and what the process looks like – from Internal Reviews to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal – Carl 👨‍🦼

You can listen to the podcast here: https://sortyoursupport.com.au/news/guest-appearances/carl-on-the-hireup-ndis-know-how-podcast/

The new NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits guide for 2022/23 has just been released. Often called the NDIS Price Guide, this document lists many different types of NDIS supports as well as the rules around how NDIS registered service providers can charge NDIS participants.

The NDIS Price Guide is very relevant to NDIS service providers, however it can be useful for NDIS participants and their families to know about any changes as well. The two biggest changes I have found are:

- The maximum price disability support work providers (for core supports) can charge has increased by around 9% on average. Many service providers will increase their prices in response to this, and let’s hope they use the increase to give their staff an appropriate pay rise!

- The short notice cancellation rules have been extended out from 2 to 7 days. If your service providers implement this change, try to make sure you cancel any appointments you know you cannot make as early as possible to avoid being charged.

Remember, an NDIS service provider cannot start charging you more than what was agreed to in your service agreement with them, unless it specifically mentions they can. Service agreements should always be two-way negotiations, so remember this when talking to your service providers about any changes they want to introduce.

The NDIS have also announced that the funding people have in their NDIS plans will be increased/indexed to account for the expected increase in prices. This is welcome news, as it has not always happened when prices have increased.

The arrangements in the new NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits guide are allowed to start coming into effect from July 1, 2022.

Of course, there are many other little changes in this NDIS Price Guide, so please feel free to read it for yourself on the NDIS website, or get in touch with Sort Your Support to discuss it in detail - Carl 👨‍🦼

Today is International Wheelchair Day! Did you know that? Don’t worry, neither did I until today. It’s made me think about being a wheelchair user and how the perceptions of wheelchairs can vary greatly depending on who you are and what your experience is with disability generally.

I’ve been described as wheelchair-bound many times in my life, and it always confuses me. For one, I (perhaps irresponsibly) don’t wear a seatbelt in my wheelchair, so I’m not actually bound to anything. More importantly, my power wheelchair is a piece of assistive technology that is key to my freedom. Without it, I wouldn’t be able to leave my house, let my dog out when he barks, or make tracks in the sand like the teenage version of me did in this picture. I’m not wheelchair-bound, it’s the exact opposite.

It might be very different for other people, though. People who acquire their disability and suddenly go from being able to walk to relying on a wheelchair may in fact feel wheelchair-bound, at least initially. But do people feel that way in part because they see a wheelchair as being limiting, the very opposite of what I view my wheelchair to be? I don’t have the answers, but I can certainly ask questions!

This wouldn’t be a Sort Your Support post without mentioning the NDIS. Prior to the NDIS, I remember as a kid my family having to raise money for us to be able to purchase my power wheelchairs. Each one was gradually more expensive, and each time the Victorian Government chipped in a smaller and smaller amount. My parents were virtually buying me a car every few years, from the age of five!

The NDIS isn’t perfect, it can be very difficult to navigate and it can be harder than it should be to get the assistive technology (including wheelchairs) people need. But for me, NDIS changed everything and it’s possible to now have a suitable power wheelchair (or any wheelchair) paid for in full. For me, that’s revolutionary. It’s also the way it should always have been, and the way it should be from now on – Carl 🧑‍🦼

Sort Your Support updated their business hours.

The NDIS recently announced that from January 12 to February 28, any participants with core funding in their NDIS plan can use this flexibly to pay for the delivery and preparation of meals. Previously, this option was generally only available to people who sent a quote to the NDIS for this type of support and it was then approved (which would take quite a lot of time). This change is in direct response to the dangers of COVID-19 and is an attempt to temporarily reduce the reliance on support workers for some people on the NDIS - especially as many are currently having to isolate in line with the COVID-19 restrictions.

Remember, this does not mean that you can use your NDIS plan to buy food, but rather you can now use your NDIS funds to cover the cost of preparing a meal and having it delivered to you. An example of this would be asking a ready meal provider to separate the ingredients cost from the preparation and delivery costs, where you would then pay for the entire invoice and claim back the preparation and delivery costs from your NDIS plan.

I realise that this can still be a bit confusing, so if you have any questions at all please don’t hesitate to message me here and I can step you through the process – Carl 👨‍🦼

More information about the change is available here: https://www.ndis.gov.au/news/7301-changes-temporary-covid-19-arrangements-meal-preparation-and-delivery-cleaning-services-and-sil

Happy International Day of People with Disability! Let’s make Australia (and the world) a more accessible place. Oh, and let’s actually do it this time. Disabled people want less talk and more action. We want decision makers to be accountable. Together, we will make things better! – Carl 👨‍🦼



Image Description: A cartoon image full of cars and buildings. The text reads: Let’s make the world more accessible! International Day of People with Disability - Dec 3. At the top of the image is the Sort Your Support logo. It looks similar to an arrow and an open book. Surrounding the logo is a bright sun.

A draft of a new version of the NDIS Act has been released today. This is important, as the NDIS Act is the foundation of the NDIS, so any proposed changes to it need to be looked at closely.

People have approximately four weeks to have their say about the draft changes to the NDIS Act, so it is important to give your thoughts on the changes as soon as you can.

While I have only had just had time to have a quick look at the changes, it looks like there are no mentions of introducing Independent Assessments! This is good news for the many thousands of NDIS participants and their families who were worried about the proposed introduction of Independent Assessments.

However, it is still important to look at the draft changes to the NDIS Act, to make sure we hold the NDIS accountable and show them that we are an engaged and passionate group.

You can view information about the draft changes to the NDIS Act and have your say at the following link: www.engage.dss.gov.au/proposed-ndis-legislative-improvements-and-the-participant-service-guarantee

Let’s keep fighting to make the NDIS the best it can be! – Carl 👨‍🦼



Image Description: An image with block colours pointing towards a text box. The text reads: Draft changes to the NDIS Act. At the top right of the image is the Sort Your Support logo. It looks similar to an arrow and an open book.

The Tokyo Paralympics are well underway and it is great seeing people with disability on TV and in the news! Some of you might be wondering if the NDIS provides support to our Australian Paralympians. This is a tricky question, but I will do my best to answer it.

Lots of people with disability love playing sport, and some people with disability need extra support to participate in it properly. If an NDIS participant wants to be involved in playing sport and they need some support to do so, the NDIS can help. This might be funding for a modified set of skis, a racing wheelchair, or a heavy-duty prosthetic limb to withstand high impact. A smart option could be renting specialist equipment to see if the sport is something you would want to commit to before asking for NDIS funding to make a big purchase.

However, like most things with the NDIS, it can get complicated! For the NDIS to provide funding, the type of competition you play your sport in needs to be either recreational or community based. Why this distinction? This is because for professional sports people, they may receive support from places like the Australian Institute of Sport or corporate sponsorship from some big brands. Because of this, the sporting related disability support needs for professional sports people are not the responsibility of the NDIS.

Thankfully, the NDIS can provide funding for NDIS participants to get started playing sport. Who knows? With a bit of support from the NDIS at the start, maybe you can eventually go pro and have a brand like Nike support you instead? – Carl 👨‍🦼



Image Description: An infographic with an image of a gold medal and a person self-propelling a manual wheelchair. The text in the centre reads: Tokyo 2020: Would the NDIS have helped our Paralympians? At the bottom left of the image is the Sort Your Support logo. It looks similar to an arrow and an open book.

The Commonwealth Government announced that from Wednesday, August 25, NDIS participants aged 12 to 15 will have access to the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine. This is in addition to all NDIS participants aged over 16, their carers, and support workers already being eligible for vaccination.

More information is available here: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-08-23/pfizer-to-be-offered-for-ndis-participants/100398916

I recommend you speak to your GP if you have any questions about the vaccine, and book an appointment for yourself and/or any eligible NDIS participants you care for – Carl 👨‍🦼



Image Description: A colourful infographic with text that reads: COVID-19: Pfizer soon to be available to NDIS participants over 12. Below the text is a cartoon image of a vial, needle, and wheelchair user. At the bottom left is the Sort Your Support logo. It looks similar to an arrow and an open book.

NDIS participants are often surprised when they realise how much flexibility they generally have in their NDIS plan. People may not know that they can substitute one type of support for another, or try out multiple providers at the same time to work out who is the best option.

NDIS plans can look and feel rigid and fixed when you read them, but in most cases there is actually a lot more flexibility than you would think. If you want to use your plan flexibly, think about what supports would help you get closer to achieving your goals, rather than just sticking to those discussed in your NDIS planning meeting or suggested by your Local Area Coordinator.

Another part of the flexibility in your NDIS plan is the ability to pay for help and training. The NDIS can be complicated, and sometimes having some one-on-one sessions with an NDIS specialist can open up a world of opportunities. The NDIS was designed to be an investment in people with disability, so consider using some of your NDIS funding to invest in your own skills and capabilities!

If you would like to have a chat about how you can unlock your plan flexibility and think outside the box, please don’t hesitate to get in touch – Carl 👨‍🦼



Image Description: A colourfully patterned image, with text in the centre that reads: I would like to have more control and flexibility in my NDIS plan. At the top left of the image is the Sort Your Support logo. It looks similar to an arrow and an open book.

My niece is four years old and loves her toys. She has too many to count, so I really shouldn’t have gone to Kmart Australia and bought her a new Barbie Doll. Yet I couldn’t resist, because this Barbie was different. I can’t say I’ve ever really identified with a Barbie before, but in this case there were more similarities than usual. This Barbie is a wheelchair user (like me), this Barbie has a disability (like me), and this Barbie has a portable ramp (like me).

It’s quite an empowering feeling seeing a toy that is a bit like me, even though the toy actually isn’t for me! I hope my niece enjoys her new Barbie Doll. I hope it reminds her a bit of Uncle Carl and reminds her that disability is a normal part of life, a part that can be fun and full of imagination – Carl 👨‍🦼



Image Description: A photo of a manual wheelchair using Barbie Doll, surrounded by cartoon love hearts. Text at the bottom reads: Inclusive Barbie! At the bottom right of the image is the Sort Your Support logo. It looks similar to an arrow and an open book.

Time for the answer to my previous quiz! The answer is A. The NDIS stands for the National Disability Insurance Scheme. For many of you, it may have been an easy question! However, do you know why the NDIS is called the National Disability Insurance Scheme?

‘National’ means the NDIS is available everywhere in Australia, and you can access it even if you move. This wasn’t the case before the NDIS! ‘Disability Insurance’ means providing funding for support in the instance that you have, or acquire a disability. The NDIS provides funding out of tax revenue to offset (or insure against) the costs of having a disability; such as support workers, therapy, or wheelchairs. ‘Scheme’ means an idea, and it is one where the NDIS has been designed to provide the funding, but it is up to individual people with disability and their families to choose which Disability Service Providers they want to use (who then receive money in exchange for the services they deliver).

So there you have it! An easy acronym to remember, but a harder one to explain! – Carl 👨‍🦼
⠀

⠀
Image Description: A quiz question on a background of the ocean and beach. The text reads: Quiz time. What does the NDIS stand for? A: National Disability Insurance Scheme. B: National Disability Injuries & Supports. C: No Dog Is Silly. D: National Disability Information & Support. Option A is circled as the correct choice. At the top of the image is the Sort Your Support logo. It looks similar to an arrow and an open book.

People talk about the NDIS a lot, and I'm as guilty as anyone of quickly diving in to the specifics and the nitty-gritty. However, sometimes it’s best to go back to basics and start from the beginning. So with that said, do you actually know what the NDIS acronym stands for? Please comment your answer below, and no cheating! – Carl 👨‍🦼


⠀
Image Description: A quiz question on a background that resembles the ocean and beach. The text reads: Quiz time. What does the NDIS stand for? A: National Disability Insurance Scheme. B: National Disability Injuries & Supports. C: No Dog Is Silly. D: National Disability Information & Support. At the top right of the image is the Sort Your Support logo. It looks similar to an arrow and an open book.

The Commonwealth Government announced today that NDIS participants, disability workers, and primary carers of people with disability will have access to purpose-built COVID-19 vaccination hubs - beginning as soon as next week. This is in addition to the existing vaccination options which are available.

More information is available here: https://ministers.dss.gov.au/media-releases/7131

I recommend you speak to your GP if you have any questions about the vaccine, and book yourself in to protect yourself and others – Carl 👨‍🦼



Image Description: A bright infographic with text that reads: COVID-19: More ways to access the vaccine. Below the text is a cartoon image of a vial, needle, and wheelchair user. At the bottom left is the Sort Your Support logo. It looks similar to an arrow and an open book.

My business is still new, but I have been helping people with the NDIS for many years. Still, I love hearing positive feedback from the people I help out, and this recent quote has to be one of my favourites! I have no waitlist, so please get in touch if you think perhaps I could be helpful for you – Carl 👨‍🦼



Image Description: An image of an ocean wave, with text that reads: NDIS Support Coordination. “I thought this ‘Support Coordinator’ thing was crap but you’re being really helpful!” Phone: 0450 731 406. [email protected]. www.sortyoursupport.com.au. At the bottom left of the image is the Sort Your Support logo. It looks similar to an arrow and an open book.

Victoria is going into a COVID-19 related lockdown from tomorrow (28th of May) for a minimum of seven days. Here is the official announcement: https://www.premier.vic.gov.au/statement-acting-premier-1

This is going to be a tough time for many people - so please reach out to friends, family, and professionals if you need some support. In terms of NDIS supports; important activities like personal care and therapies can still go ahead, however everyone still needs to follow the guidelines set out by the Victorian Government. It could be a good idea to reduce the amount of support used to a bare minimum, to avoid risking getting or spreading COVID-19.
Stay safe, everyone. We have made it through this before, and we will again – Carl ‍🦼



Image Description: A colourful image with an icon of hands being washed. The text reads: Stay in and beat COVID-19

People often ask why they have less money in their NDIS plan than somebody else. It is easy to be dismissive of this and say it is none of their business, however I understand why people ask. Nobody wants to be short-changed or disadvantaged, I get it. Yet the reason why there are often large differences between NDIS plan sizes is quite simple. It is because people have differing goals and/or existing support networks.

For example, two people can have the exact same disability and live in the same area, yet the amount of money in their NDIS plans can be very different; as one person requires support to have a very active social life and the other prefers to keep to themselves.

This is ok! Having less money in your NDIS plan does not make it “better” or “worse”, it just goes to show that we are not all the same.

Rather than wondering and worrying about why somebody else has a larger NDIS plan, I think it’s more helpful to ask yourself these two questions:

1. Am I using my NDIS plan in the best possible way?

2. Is my NDIS plan appropriate for my support needs and goals?

If you need any help answering these questions or want to make things right, I would love to chat! Please don’t hesitate to get in touch – Carl 👨‍🦼



Image Description: A colourfully patterned image, with text in the centre that reads: I wonder why they have more money than me in their NDIS plan? At the top left of the image is the Sort Your Support logo. It looks similar to an arrow and an open book.

The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is complex. The same rules of the NDIS apply to everyone, yet everyone is different so these rules apply in different ways. This is why people with different disabilities and situations receive different levels of funding, have differing experiences with providers, and face varying levels of satisfaction with the NDIS itself.

So, what can you do about it? I’m biased, but I think talking to somebody with lots of experience with the NDIS is very important. I know the NDIS inside out, as I’m an NDIS participant who has also worked explaining the NDIS to people all over the country for many years. I believe I can explain complicated concepts in a way that is easy to understand, but also make it relevant to you and your situation. If you have a question, no matter how big or small, please get in touch as I would love to help – Carl 👨‍🦼



Image Description: A decorative image of coloured semicircles. In the middle of the image is text that reads: I wish… The NDIS was easier to understand. Let me help you. Below the text is the Sort Your Support logo. It looks similar to an arrow and an open book.

This Mother’s Day, I want to give a shout out to my own mum. I’ll be brief, but my mum brought me up as a person with disability in the best way possible; never coddling yet never forcing me to fit in. Mum organised all my therapies, wheelchair trials, and surgeries. Mum (and dad) moved with me to Melbourne from the country so I could study my university degree, and later helped make a house of my own into a wheelchair accessible home.

Mum worked as a disability case manager throughout her career, helping families navigate the complicated and fragmented support systems that existed before the NDIS. Later, Mum worked as an NDIS Support Coordinator helping others get the most out of their NDIS plans and fixing any problems that came up along the way.

My mum has retired now; spending her time in the garden and with the grandkids - but she is still as passionate about the NDIS as ever. Mum used to sort my support, and in doing so she taught me how to sort my own. Using everything I’ve learnt from my mum, I believe I can help you do the same. Please don’t hesitate to get in touch – Carl 👨‍🦼



Image Description: A cartoon image of a lady wearing a striped top and overalls. She is trimming the leaves of an overhanging plant in a pot. To the right of the image is text, which reads: Love you, Mum. At the top right of the image is the Sort Your Support logo. It looks similar to an arrow and an open book.

Time for the answer to my previous quiz! The answer is B. The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) started in 2013. It began as a pilot in Geelong and Newcastle. From there the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) had time to develop and refine how the NDIS operated. In 2016 the NDIS began what was called the “full scheme rollout” - where it gradually became available in more parts of Australia, with the NDIS now being available to every eligible Australian – Carl 👨‍🦼



Image Description: A quiz question on a background that resembles the ocean and beach. At the top right of the image is the Sort Your Support logo. It looks similar to an arrow and an open book. Option B is circled in yellow as the correct choice. The text reads: Quiz Time. Which year did the NDIS start? A: 2008. B: 2013. C: 2016. D: 2019.

Quiz time! Do you know when the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) actually started in Australia? Comment your answer below, and no cheating by looking at the comments first! I will post the answer and an explanation shortly – Carl 👨‍🦼



Image Description: A quiz question on a background that resembles the ocean and beach. At the top right of the image is the Sort Your Support logo. It looks similar to an arrow and an open book. The text reads: Quiz Time. Which year did the NDIS start? A: 2008. B: 2013. C: 2016. D: 2019.

Hi, I’m Carl and I know lots about the NDIS. But it wasn't always this way. The NDIS can make you feel overwhelmed – as it’s full of complicated language, rules, and systems. I felt the same many years ago, so I set out to learn as much as I could about the NDIS. Why? Because I have a disability and would one day be an NDIS participant myself.

I have since written and delivered NDIS education courses across Australia; teaching people with disabilities, their families, and service providers about the NDIS. I then worked as a Local Area Coordinator (LAC), writing and implementing hundreds of NDIS plans for a wide variety of people with a wide variety of disabilities.

Perhaps most importantly, I feel I'm uniquely placed to help others through their own NDIS journey as I'm now an NDIS participant myself. This first-hand, lived experience of disability and the NDIS is important, because I can truly be empathetic.

But enough about me, please tell me about yourself? I would love to help, so don’t hesitate to get in touch – Carl 👨‍🦼



Image Description: A close-up image of a man smiling. He has medium hair and is wearing a stripey shirt. Next to the image is text that reads: Carl Thompson. Director of Sort Your Support. Below the text is the Sort Your Support logo. It looks similar to an arrow and an open book.