October 9, 2017
FREE TO READ: Little NDIS Tip for your Planning Meeting
When you have your NDIS planning meeting, or your review meeting, write down on a piece of paper your chosen method of money management for your plan and hand it in writing to your planner – this will hopefully reduce the significant number of planner/LAC errors in setting up the money management for people with disability and their carers.
I request Self Management please.
or I request Plan Management please.
or I request Agency Management please.
Maybe even take a photo of this piece of paper in the LAC’s hands, or a selfie with you handing it over? Though that may sound a little cheeky/obnoxious, I’ve seen so many plans come back with money management not as requested and LAC/planner denying the request was made…
August 14, 2017
FREE TO READ:Top Ten NDIS Pre-Planning Tips –Sam Paior Sunday Mail, 14 August, 2017 pg2-3 of NDIS liftout
1. Keep a log or journal of your disability related needs over a week – write down everything you do or spend that you would not do or spend if you were not disabled. Give a copy to your NDIS or LAC Planner at your planning meeting.
2. Bring a copy of any recent reports or assessments from allied health professionals to your planning meeting, but don’t worry if you don’t have any – there’s no need to go and pay for extra reports before your planning meeting.
3. You generally don’t need guardianship or administration orders if an NDIS participant chooses someone to be their nominee. The NDIS recognises natural relationships with rare exceptions.
4. Think about goals that expand your world – try a new sport, join a new group, think about getting a job or starting a business, or moving out of home. Have two goals for the next year, and one or two longer term goals to include in your plan.
5. Decide how you want to manage the money in your plan before your planning meeting – Agency Managed – less hassle but less choice, Self-Managed – more hassle but more choice, and Plan Managed – less hassle and more choice. Plan Management can’t be denied to any participant/nominee who asks for it and the funds for it are on top of your regular plan funds.
6. Have a think whether you need or want someone to help you manage your NDIS plan – a parent, sibling or unpaid carer you trust. Ask them before your meeting if they are happy to be your nominee.
7. Your planning meeting can be done by phone, at the NDIS/LAC offices, out in the community, or in your home. Let your planner know what works best for you.
8. Join a peer support group, or join a peer community online (there are a lot of great groups on Facebook) to find out more about the NDIS.
9. At the start of your planning meeting (or sometimes before, on the phone) you will be asked a bunch of questions designed to figure out your levels of disability related needs. Make sure you concentrate and answer thoughtfully. These questions are a big part of what decides your funding levels.
10. Write up two weekly calendars – one of your activities and how your life looks now, and one of how you would like it to look if you had the funding you need. Give a copy of each to your planner.
