Services Purchasing and Development

Deborah Roberts

Senior Project Manager

October 2013

NDIS & My Way

• As highlighted by Minister Morton earlier, on Monday 5 August 2013 the Prime Minister and the Premier of Western Australia signed an agreement for disability reform in Western Australia. The agreement is for a two year launch commencing on 1 July 2014.

• Under this agreement, the Commonwealth and Western Australian governments will contrast two approaches for the delivery of disability services in different locations.

NDIS & My Way

• Two approaches are being tested in order to allow genuine comparison of the merits of the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA - formally DisabilityCare Australia) model and the Western Australian My Way model.

• This will allow the lessons to be shared during the launch period and taken into the full scheme roll out of NDIA across Australia.

NDIS & My WayLaunch sites 

• The State Government's My Way model Lower South West (LSW) region commencing July 2014 Cockburn Kwinana area commencing July 2015

• A two year launch of the NDIA model will commence in the Perth Hills area on 1 July 2014. Incremental roll out of the NDIA model will take place over the two year launch period.

NDIS & My WayHow many people will be eligible for support in the launch sites?

• In total, approximately 8,400 eligible participants (with permanent disability) in Western Australia will benefit over the launch period.

Who will be eligible for support in the launch areas?• The eligibility criteria developed for NDIA (as set out in the National Disability

Insurance Scheme Act 2013) will be used in both of the Western Australian launch models. The My Way model will use the same eligibility rules that will apply across the nation.

• Both of the Western Australian launch approaches will apply to all eligible people under 65 at the time of launch, rather than being limited to more specific age cohorts.

NDIS & My Way

Will people with disability currently not accessing services be able to access support in the launch sites?

• Yes. People with a disability who meet the eligibility criteria under the National Disability Insurance Scheme Act 2013 and are permanently living in the launch areas will be eligible for support in the launch areas.

NDIS & My WayWill people with mental health conditions be eligible to access

support in the launch areas?

• The eligibility criteria allows for people with impairments attributable to a psychiatric condition to access the scheme where their impairments are, or are likely to be, permanent, and result in a substantially reduced function in undertaking daily activities and capacity for social and economic participation. Impairments that vary in intensity may still be considered permanent.

• ‘Functional impairment’ and ‘permanent’ are the key requirements for eligibility and access to funding in the NDIS.

NDIS & My Way

• Assessment of ‘functional impairment’ is required for funding allocation but appears that it may not be necessary for access to planning and/or LAC services within NDIS. To be clarified!

• ‘Functional Impairment’ Assessment tool developed and used in NDIS launch sites is lengthy (currently 88 pages).

• It requires some external evidence to be provided i.e. doctors reports with diagnosis, OT assessments.

NDIS & My Way

• Assessment cannot be completed by the consumer and must be completed by the NDIA assessors/ My Way coordinators.

• Assessment results are compared to the reference packages developed by NDIS to determine funding allocation.

• Launch sites are providing information about the accuracy of the reference packages and funding allocations before full scheme rollout.

NDIS & My WayWhat will be similar in the two launch approaches? 

There will be a consistent application of the key aspects of disability reform including:

• consistent approaches to eligibility• consistency in the determination of reasonable and necessary

supports• a guarantee of portability provisions (for people moving between

launch areas – in Western Australia and inter-state)• quality assurance system

NDIS & My WayWhat will be different in the two launch approaches?

The key differences between the two approaches are:

1. Legislation

• The My Way launch will be implemented by the WA Disability Services Commission under State Legislation. State-specific operational guidelines will apply. The NDIA launch will be implemented under the national legislation and use national operational guidelines.

NDIS & My Way

2. Planning & LACs

• The My Way model uses Local Area Coordinators (LACs) as the first and continuous point of contact in the planning process. LACs in My Way sites also have access to flexible discretionary funding to use, where appropriate, to assist people achieve the goals identified in their plan. If further funding is required, the LACs will undertake the assessment of functional impairment based on the information gathered as part of the relationship building process. LACs will then assist people with disability to be linked up in their community and to assist in coordinating the supports (including purchased supports) they receive.

NDIS & My Way2. Planning & LACs

• In the NDIA launch, planning conversations will occur with specialist planners. If funding is required, a specialist will undertake an assessment of functional impairment (and linked to the reference packages) to determine funding. LACs will then help people with disability to be linked up in their community and to assist in coordinating the supports (including purchased supports) they receive.

NDIS & My Way3. Sector Organisations

• Under the My Way model, disability service organisations will retain their existing strong partnership and contractual relationship with the Disability Services Commission, including the use of payments in advance for disability service organisations.

• The NDIA launch will operate under a national pricing scheme which reflects the conditions in local markets, including loadings. Participants will be able to source supports from any NDIA registered provider. Providers will be paid for services on receipt of an invoice.

NDIS & My Way

What does it mean for people with mental health conditions?

• The Productivity Commission has estimated that approximately 5600 people with severe and enduring mental illness may be eligible for NDIS in WA.

• The Productivity Commission data suggests that approximately 800 people with severe and enduring mental illness may be eligible in the identified launch sites in WA.

NDIS & My Way• However, it is acknowledged that this data was provided by the

Productivity Commission at short notice and there have been concerns raised that the data may not be accurate.

• There are suggestions that more people with severe and enduring mental illness may be eligible for NDIS but it is early days.

• At a national level, there is work happening to provide more accurate data. The use of the Mental Health Services Planning Estimator tool has been suggested as a possible option for increasing accuracy.

NDIS & My Way

• In the context of the NDIS, the term ‘psychosocial disability’ appears to be preferred by consumers and carers (see National Mental health Consumer & Carer Forum Position Statement). That is ‘the disabilities that are associated with mental health conditions’ .

• The term ‘psychosocial disability’ appears to be very helpful in promoting a wider understanding (especially in the disability sector) where people with severe and enduring mental illness may fit into the NDIS.

NDIS & My WayLSW My Way Project: Inclusion of people with psychosocial disability

• As announced by the Minister this morning, to assist the My Way Coordinators in the LSW launch site to include people with psychosocial disability, the Mental Health Commission and the Disability Services Commission have agreed on a joint project proposal.

• This project proposal aims to provide additional resources and specific training and supports to LSW My Way Coordinators to assist with engaging with new participants with psychosocial disability. This will include the provision of relevant training to better understand mental health and the recovery approach alongside self directed support and person centred care.

NDIS & My Way• This project will also engage mental health services and sector

organisations to assist with information about My Way, training as needed and support to manage new ways of working.

• This project will engage a minimum number of 50 people with psychosocial disability in the Lower South West region (but hopefully will assist approximately 150 people with psychosocial disability over the 18 months).

• • The MHC and DSC are working towards a start date of 1 January

2014. This will provide an important opportunity for learning before the NDIS launch start date of 1 July 2014.

What is My Way all about?

Further refining ways of working – enabling:

•Choice and control in the hands of people with disability, family and carers

•Partnership with the sector

•Individualised, holistic, person-centred support based on planning

•Connection with community and generic services

•Decentralised decision making

•Seamless, outcomes based funding

My Way Key planning questions

  How would I like my life to be?

Who am I and what is my life like now?

What would I like to build on?

How can this happen?

NDIS & My WayNext Steps

• Bilateral and National Partnership agreements signed by end November 2013

• Establish Joint Steering Committee (December 2013).• Establish working group for people with disability, families and carers,

service providers and other stakeholders to be part of development and design

• Evaluation of both approaches to inform full scheme rollout nationally

NDIS & My WayWhat happens at the end of the launch period?

• The State and Commonwealth Governments have previously committed to provide ongoing support to participants in launch sites until transition to full scheme commences or an agreement is made covering ongoing support to launch participants.

NDIS & My WayQuestions/ Queries/ Comments?