What is NDIS Support Coordination?
There are three categories or levels of Support Coordination.
Level 1 – Support Connection
The role of the support coordinator in Support Connection is to assist you to build your capacity to manage your own NDIS plan, make connections with community, disability funded and informal supports, that will enable you to work towards achieving your established goals.
Level 2 – Support Coordination – coordination of supports
The role of the support coordinator is to assist you as per support connection. In addition, the support coordinator will work alongside you, ensuring you have the required supports to enable you to live independently in the community. Support Coordinators will assist you to manage provider supports and increase your capacity to maintain those relationships.
Level 3 – Specialist Support Coordination
Specialist support coordination is a higher level of coordination. This level is for participants with complex needs that require specialist support. The Specialist Support Coordinator’s role is to ensure consistent delivery of supports, and assist you to manage any challenges in your support network.
You may receive funding for support coordination, depending on your plan objectives, aspirations and individual goals.
How Does a Support Coordinator Help Me?
Your Support Coordinator will provide assistance to do the following:
- Negotiate with providers about the services they offer, how much it will cost you.
- Ensure service agreements and service bookings are completed.
- Support you and assist you to manage your plan, including choice and control of supports.
- Support and assist you to access the community and achieve your goals.
- Assist you to prepare for a plan review.
- Assist you to gain the most out of your plan, and funded providers.
- Assist with crisis management planning and implementation.
A Specialist Support Coordinator has higher qualifications, and is an experienced practitioner. They also assist you to manage challenges with health, education or justice services. Their role is to minimise barriers to your NDIS plan implementation.
The types of supports that the NDIS may fund for participants include:
- daily personal activities
- support to participate in community life and activities
- transport to enable participation in community, social, economic and daily life activities
- workplace help to allow a participant to successfully get or keep employment in the open or supported labour market
- therapeutic supports including behaviour support
- help with household tasks to allow the participant to maintain their home environment
- assistance from Allied Health professionals, conducting assessments and recommending therapies, equipment, home modifications and aids to enable you to maintain your independence
Safe Solutions Care engagement process:
Receiving the initial inquiry: When we receive an inquiry from a potential client, we will check to see if we have the capacity to take them on. Most of the time, our answer is yes!
Following up to arrange an initial consult: Once we receive contact details, we phone the participant or their contact person, usually within 24 hrs. We will have a chat to see if they are happy to proceed. Sue then arranges a time to meet them at their home.
First Meeting: At his first meeting we establish how we are going to work together. Service agreements and consent to share information forms are completed. We then go through the NDIS plan and identify your current supports, future needs, changes you would like to make and a list of things to do. The follow up appointment will be made.
Exploring options for care providers: Sue will then explore options for your supports, plan a budget based on funding and your identified needs. For example, if a client needs occupational therapy, counselling, cleaning, etc, we will present you with options and some information about each service.
Following up: At this meeting we will discuss options and select providers. Sue will then engage with the providers and forward them a Provider Referral Request, which will include hourly rates and total hours to be booked, and supports/services required.
Agreements can be terminated by either party, as long as at least 1 month’s notice gives, however, we are accommodating and want to have access to the best care possible for you, so we can be flexible with cancellation periods.
Contact Sue, your NDIS Support Coordinator to find out more about our services. Servicing Geelong, the surf coast, Bellarine, Ballarat and the South-West of Victoria.