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Jo-anneJoy
Senior Contributor

Accessing the NDIS

Girding my loins to have another run at NDIS and found this booklet produced by 

VMIAC that hits the nail on the head for those with "psychosocial disability"

 

Many people applying for the NDIS find it emotionally challenging. These are a few
common experiences to bear in mind:

 

Anxiety and Fearfulness: Many people are fearful of being rejected, of losing supports
they’ve had in the past, or of being judged by assessors. Some people liken the NDIS
assessment experience to past experiences with Centrelink, where highly personal
information has to be shared with strangers, and the power rests with a big bureaucracy.
Some people are already fearful of using the telephone or opening mail–and this can
present a very practical barrier to the NDIS application process.

 

Frustration and Anger: Some people may feel frustrated at having to go through a
lengthy bureaucratic process to get support, especially if they are used to older service
models where there was little, if any, bureaucracy. Others may feel frustrated about
having to focus on deficits and disability, or having to justify their needs, or having to
repeat their very personal struggles over and over again.

 

 

A4-Booklet.pdf (vmiac.org.au)

 

NDIS is not consistent with recovery-orientated mental health practice, where the focus is on building hope and working with strengths.

 

NDIS focus is on permanence and deficits : 

 

WHILE THIS IS NOT IDEAL, IT IS IMPORTANT TO USE NDIS TERMINOLOGY TO GIVE PEOPLE THE BEST POSSIBLE CHANCE OF BEING ABLE TO ACCESS DISABILITY SUPPORT SERVICES.

 

The last paragraph is particularly pertinent, as GPs are loathe to "remove hope" (as they see it) and can scuttle your (person with the disability) chances because of their philosophical difference/mindset.   Not about the GP/specialist: it's YOUR need for support.  YOUR barriers with functionality.

 

We ride at dawn!

 

 

10 REPLIES 10

Re: Accessing the NDIS

Great resource you've shared here @Jo-anneJoy 
and All the best with your application 🧡

Re: Accessing the NDIS

 

Thanks @flybluebird 

Re: Accessing the NDIS

This made me cry. Because I have no idea how to access or even TRY to access the NDIS. And (feel like) I have very little support from my health professionals. And I feel powerless to do it myself. 

Re: Accessing the NDIS

Hi @Penny4 

 

I just wanted to reach out and offer you some support 💜

 

Oh @Penny4 💜 I’m so sorry to hear that you’re feeling so distressed and powerless in relation to trying to access some additional support through the NDIS and my heart goes out to you 💜

 

Late last year, I applied to the NDIS for some additional support (and although my application was successful) I found the process incredibly overwhelming and confusing 💜

 

I wasn’t too sure if this is something that you’re still interested in applying for, but if this is a path that you’re thinking about venturing down and you would like someone to talk with, I would be more than happy to share some of my experiences with you 💜

 

Also, just while I remember, one of the things that really helped me when I was new to the forums and still finding my way around, was that if you would like to chat with another forum member, or reply to one of their posts, place @ in front of their username just like I did at the start of my post to you i.e. @Penny4 that way, they will receive a message that you have contacted them 😊

 

Please remember that you’re always welcome to reach out here whenever you need to 💜

 

Take kind and gentle care of yourself,

 

ShiningStar 💜

Re: Accessing the NDIS

@ShiningStar 

Thank you! I found a friend who has been able to help me understand things better. AND... I've actually begun the application process!! I would like to say that I'm confident in a positive outcome, but I'm not going to jump ahead. Just one (messy) day at a time. 

Your words of support mean more than words can say. 

Thank you!

Re: Accessing the NDIS

Hi @Penny4 

 

It’s so lovely to hear from you 💜

 

You’re welcome - it was my pleasure to reach out to you 💜

 

Wow! Just from what you’ve shared, it sounds as though you’re doing an amazing job of navigating your way through the application process and that’s fantastic that you’ve started to complete your application - well done!

 

As I listened to this part of your story, I could hear so much confidence in your voice and it definitely sounds as though you’re feeling so much more optimistic than you were a few months ago 💜

 

Absolutely! Sometimes, it can be so tempting to jump ahead of ourselves - especially when something is really important to us 😊

 

I would love to hear how you’re travelling with everything - if this is something that feels comfortable for you 💜

 

In the meantime, please remember that you’re always welcome to reach out here whenever you need to 💜

 

Take kind and gentle care of yourself,

 

ShiningStar 💜

Re: Accessing the NDIS

Thank you for this. I'm getting ready to apply after the many promotions by my psychologist and psychiatrist. Just have to mentally great myself up for it. Stress is not good for me and I often crumble. So fingers crossed!

Re: Accessing the NDIS

I applied to the NDIS in 2020 and it was knocked back because "I had not exhausted every treatment option". This is because my submission contained a psychiatric report that said DBT would be helpful and I had not tried it.

 

So in 2021 I went back to my GP and pyschologist to try again. They were not very willing. My psychologist was very negative about my chances of getting NDIS funding saying "even people with schizophrenia get knocked back". She was very unwilling to get involved in the application process. But I insisted and persisted and the GP and pscyhologist finally relented.

 

In fact, the second application was done by the nurse at the medical practice.Thank you whoever you are. You did a fantastic job and really took the time to fill out the 30 page application (which took like 1 and half hours).

 

What was key in getting my second application through  - apart from the help from the nurse - was that I got the GP to write a letter saying "this patient has tried DBT since his last application and it was not helpful".

 

So the second application was approved by the NDIA and I got $30,000!!

 

This funding has opened the door to accessing long-term psychological treatment with schema therapy (which takes 2 to 3 years minimum) with once or twice weekly sessions at a cost of $180 per session (that is $10,000 to $20,000 a year alone). It also pays for a support worker to come around and take me out for coffee or whatever. (another $10,000 a year)

 

If you have a serious PD - like I can't work or make friends or anything and I'm on the DSP - then you stand a good chance to get NDIS. You just have to have a psychiatrist or GP say you show you have exhausted every treatment option and are still experiencing serious disability. Every treatment option means having done DBT because psychiatrists all believe DBT will help BPD patients.

 

In fact, the evidence is very inconsistent. From reading the clinical trials, DBT probably only helps like 30% of patients and to a limited degree. Benefits are often not permanent. SI and self harm might still continue, moods still fluctuate like crazy, sensitivity to criticism persists etc etc.

 

Basically, DBT does not change your personality/identity, it does not change your distorted core beliefs and pathological identifications. Most BPD patients remain damaged psychological children in adult bodies even with DBT training and skills.

 

I'm told schema therapy tries to go deep, tries to get to the core of the BPD patients troubling identifications. In my view, schema therapy is the only form of identity therapy that is currently available in Australia. And by its very nature, identity therapy is going to take many years to heal the damaged personality that is the source of most of our self-generated pain and suffering.

 

I am starting schema therapy in a couple of weeks by telehealth (which is not ideal). This is because none of the psychologists trained in schema therapy where I live are taking new patients and I am on a waitlist to see one of them. In the meantime will start schema therapy by telehealth and get the process going.

 

Best wishes

SJ

 

 

 

 

 

Re: Accessing the NDIS

hey @ShiningStar 

 

i was wondering if you knew how someone would go about getting support from the NDIS for mental health? or where to start? you sound like you have some idea and i would appreciate any help i could get.

 

thankyou!

 

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