If you have received funding for ‘Coordination of Supports’ in your first NDIS plan but aren’t sure what it means, then you’ve come to the right place! In this blog, we’ll take you through the ins and outs of disability support coordination so you can go into your plan with confidence.
The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) has been established to provide ‘reasonable and necessary’ support to individuals with a severe or permanent disability. Support Coordinators play a very important role in assisting NDIS participants and their informal support networks build skills in implementing choice and direction and building resilience and capacity within their community. Greater independence, more opportunities, better quality of life: these are the aims and ideals of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), which provides funding and plans to participants in order to access functional support. Navigating these plans can be challenging. It’s all about making the scheme work for you, which is where Quality Health Care provides support. Accessing the NDIS can feel like learning a new language. Securing an NDIS plan is an achievement in itself, and the first of many exciting steps in your NDIS journey. ‘Coordination of Supports’ is an NDIS support that is carried out by a Support Coordinator. Unlike funding for Plan Management, which can be requested by anyone, NDIS funding for Support Coordination is provided on a case-by-case basis, often only for temporary periods of time when you first start your plan or go through a significant change in circumstances. The primary role of a Support Coordinator is to help you understand how your NDIS plan works and put your support into action. A usual day involves meeting with participants and their support network to discuss their goals and talk through the services they would like to access. There is also checking in with the participants and service providers for feedback, following up on enquiries and research into new prospective providers. The role of a Support Coordinator is not to take away your independence, but to assist you in developing the skills you need to understand and make decisions about your plan. Receiving assistance from a Support Coordinator helps to build your independence and achieve your long-term goals. Another role that a Support Coordinator plays is helping you connect with the right disability support services in your local area. This is an important role as they can help to ensure that you are receiving the right disability support services for your needs. Quality Health Care’s Support Coordinators will help bring you closer to achieving your goals by ensuring your negotiating the best arrangements with your service providers, preparing you for upcoming plan reviews, and assisting you in times of need. That is why our team of Support Coordinators will communicate with you in a language that you understand so that you make decisions about your plan. Support Coordinators will work with participants to:
Explore the disability and mainstream support system.
Be informed about all available options.
Identify providers and services that will best meet individual needs/goals.
Assist participants or family members to coordinate and/or build on existing services.
Strengthen informal or mainstream supports.
Enhance knowledge around and familiarity with NDIS processes.
Build confidence and capacity to implement and manage their NDIS plan.
Manage points of crisis should they arise.
Support participants through the NDIS review process
We will support your journey, advocate for your goals and ensure that you’re the driver of your future.
Above all else, your Support Coordinator should have your best interests at heart and consider these before recommending support and services. If you’ve been unsure about how to navigate the NDIS and wondered what a Support Coordinator does, we hope this has helped to answer your questions.
If you’re interested in being connected with a Quality Health Care Support Coordinator, contact us here.