InForm Newsletter - July 2017 - NDIS Edition

July 2017

INFORM
SPECIAL NDIS
EDITION

YOUR ESSENTIAL
NDIS TOOLKIT

CEO
MESSAGE

Sylvanvale is here to
help you

Welcome to this Special Edition of InForm.

The National Disability Insurance Scheme is the biggest
change the disability sector in Australia has ever been
through and, as with any big change, it has been
creating some confusion and challenges.

To help make the process a little easier, we have
included a toolkit of useful information and fact sheets
to help you navigate the NDIS, no matter which stage
you’re at in the planning process.

If you require any additional information please don’t
hesitate to call our Customer Service Team on
1300 244 577 or email [email protected].

We’re here to help.

We’d love your “Leanne Fretten
feedback! Chief Executive Officer
We’re here to help.
We want to make sure that the information we share
with you is the information you really want to know.
Please email us at [email protected]
or call 1300 244 577 with your feedback.

2 Mikarie Place Kirrawee NSW 2232
PO Box 29 Sutherland NSW 1499
Sydney Australia

T 1300 244 577
F +61 (02) 9521 3610
E [email protected]
www.sylvanvale.com.au

2 SYLVANVALE INFORM | SPECIAL EDITION

IN THIS ISSUE

GETTING READY Page 4

The Importance of Pre-Planning Page 6
Page 8
ACTIVATING YOUR PLAN
Page 10
‘I Have Started My NDIS Journey’ Fact Sheet Page 12
Supports Coordinators & Local Area Coordinators (LACS) Page 14

COMMON QUESTIONS

Frequently Asked Questions – NDIS Participants
Frequently Asked Questions – Carers

OTHER USEFUL NDIS TOOLS & PUBLICATIONS

www.sylvanvale.com.au 3

GETTING READY

THE IMPORTANCE OF
PRE-PLANNING

What to ask for

The phase before your NDIS meeting, known as pre-planning, is critically important
to the NDIS process. This is where you gather information and evidence for your
planning meeting.

Your life now and in the future Locations
Think about: Think about and record the locations of the
• What do I have now that I want to keep? supports and your home.
• What do I need that is different?
• What is stopping this from happening? Transport
• What steps do I need to take to get to where I Make a record of your current transport
arrangements and the average number of
want to be? kilometres each week. Remember that transport
will only be funded in certain circumstances.
Routine – ratio of support, day of the
week, time of day Goals
Record all the supports you currently have. Think about what you would like your goals to be
in areas like social participation, independence,
Public Holidays and annual closures employment, education, and health and
Remember to take into account the supports you wellbeing. Don’t be limited by past experiences
need during public holidays and annual closures. and challenges.

Behaviour support, health and other plans
Compile diagnostic reports and any relevant
assessments and recommendations.

4 SYLVANVALE INFORM | SPECIAL EDITION

Write all this information down
and then have it handy for your
NDIA Planning meeting.

Putting it all together

Pre-planning document Familiarise yourself with the NDIS Price
It’s worthwhile putting together an outcomes- Guide
focused document in the language of the NDIS
that compiles all your support needs and tells your Refer to the NDIS Description and NDIA Support
story. Make sure this includes all your supporting Item from the NDIS Price Guide located at www.
evidence. sylvanvale.com.au/publications. It’s not necessary
to include the cost of the item in your plan.

What to do when the NDIA makes contact

Some people have been receiving phone calls from the NDIA,
not realising it’s their NDIA Planning meeting.

Clarify the purpose of the NDIA phone call
– eligibility or planning meeting:
If someone from the NDIA calls you, ask them
what the purpose of the phone call is. Ask whether
it’s to check your eligibility or whether it’s for your
NDIA Planning meeting.

You can request a face-to-face meeting
planning meeting
If you want a face-to-face NDIA Planning meeting
you can request one when the NDIA calls you. You
may find you’ll get the best chance at stating your
case if you have your meeting face-to-face.

www.sylvanvale.com.au 5

ACTIVATING YOUR NDIS PLAN

I HAVE STARTED MY
NDIS JOURNEY – FACT SHEET

Checklist for people who have had their planning meeting.

YOU ARE
HERE

STEP 1 YOU’VE HAD YOUR STEP 2 ACCESS YOUR PLAN
PLANNING MEETING
Your Plan will be activated on the
You have had your Planning NDIA myplace portal and a copy of
Meeting with an NDIA Planner. your Plan sent to you in the mail.

It is a good idea to
check the myplace
portal every day
until you receive
your plan.

6 SYLVANVALE INFORM | SPECIAL EDITION

STEP 3 PRE-PLANNING STEP 4 APPOINT A PROVIDER
DOCUMENT FOR COORDINATION
OF SUPPORTS
Before you sign into the myplace
portal you need: An amount for Coordination of
• A myGov account. For Supports should be included in
your NDIS Plan. This will be called
instructions on how to create support connection or coordination
a myGov account refer to of supports, Sylvanvale is a
Creating a myGov account on registered provider and can provide
https://my.gov.au/ this support for you, or you can
• An Activation Code from the obtain a list of registered providers
NDIA (the code is needed for from the NDIA by calling
the first log on only). 1800 800 110.
Your activation code will be If no funding has been allocated
provided to you via letter within your Plan, coordination
or email. of supports can be provided by
• Select the Participant Portal link the Local Area Coordinator (LAC)
on the NDIS website; appointed by the NDIA.
https://www.ndis.gov.au/ (Read about Supports Coordination
• Type your myGov username and on pages 8–9).
password and select Sign In.
• Enter the single use security STEP 5 PUT YOUR PLAN
code that you received on your INTO ACTION
mobile (or answer the security
question) and click Next. Work with your Supports
• The activation page will appear, Coordinator to activate your plan
enter your activation code, last and engage providers of supports.
name and date of birth then
click Submit. Please note: you MyGov Portal
only have to put in the NDIA
activation code once. This Before you sign into
screen will not display again. the myplace portal
• You will need to accept the you need a myGov
Terms of Use before you can account.
use the myplace portal.

NDIS: National Disability Insurance Scheme www.sylvanvale.com.au 7
NDIA: National Disability Insurance Agency

ACTIVATING YOUR NDIS PLAN

SUPPORTS
COORDINATORS &
LOCAL AREA
COORDINATORS (LACS)

A Supports Coordinator or Local Area Coordinator (LAC)
is a person who finds and connects an NDIS participant
with supports and services in their community to help them
achieve their goals in their NDIS Plan.

Supports Coordination is funded by the NDIS if you live in Supported
Independent Living or have complex needs. In all other cases the NDIA
will provide you with a LAC to help you with Supports Coordination.

We’re here for you

Sylvanvale provides Supports Coordination to help you find the right
providers, support workers and activities for you.
Our qualified, accredited and committed team supports individuals,
their families and carers to be aware of all options to stay in control
of decisions through training, information and linking with groups
and networks.

What we offer

HELP TO UNDERSTAND FIND SERVICES AND TALK TO GOVERNMENT GET QUOTES FOR
AND REVIEW SUPPORTS AGENCIES YOUR SERVICES
YOUR NDIS PLAN THAT MEET INDIVIDUAL ON YOUR BEHALF AND SUPPORTS
NEEDS

INFORMATION ON HELP TO STAY IN PUT INTO ACTION AND HELP YOU PREPARE
YOUR OPTIONS CONTROL OF MONITOR YOUR PLAN FOR YOUR SECOND
YOUR DECISIONS NDIS PLAN
SO YOU GET THE BEST
POSSIBLE RESULTS

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Where it happens

We provide Supports Coordination throughout the greater Sydney region.

At Home In Community Over the Phone
We can organise support Sometimes all that may be
We can organise face to face coordination meetings to required is a conversation
meetings with you and your take place where you feel over the phone. We will make
support providers in your home. comfortable. Whether it is at a contact with you on a regular
Sylvanvale or another service basis to ensure we are delivering
providers site, or in the general on your expectations.
community. We will be flexible
and fit in around your schedule

How much does it cost?

SUPPORTS COORDINATION

CURRENT NDIS DESCRIPTION NDIS NEW NDIS PRICE
SUPPORT SUPPORT ITEM SYLVANVALE SUPPORT PER HOUR*

Support Connection 07_001_0106_8_3 Assistance to strengthen participant’s $56.61
abilities to coordinate supports &
participate in the community. This
includes resolving points of crisis,
developing capacity & resilience in a
participant’s network & coordinating
supports from a range of sources.

Coordination of 07_002_0106_8_3 Further qualifications/experience $92.27
Supports required to strengthen a higher needs
SUPPORTS participant’s ability to coordinate their
COORDINATION supports & participate in the community.
This may include resolving points of
crisis, & developing resilience in the
participant’s network.

Specialist Support 07_004_0132_8_3 Time limited support coordination, $175.57
Coordination within specialist framework necessitated
by high risks in participant’s situation, to
address barriers and reduce complexity
in environment, assisting to connect with
supports, build capacity and resilience.

SDA Support Specialised assistance for participants TBA
Coordination 06_433_0131_2_2 with high support needs or complex

*Prices subject to change without notice. needs to find an SDA dwelling.

NDIS: National Disability Insurance Scheme
NDIA: National Disability Insurance Agency

www.sylvanvale.com.au 9

COMMON QUESTIONS

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
– NDIS PARTICIPANTS

01 04

Can I choose who attends the What happens if I want to move from
NDIA meeting with me? where I live to somewhere else?

Of course you can. This is YOUR meeting. Just You should advise your NDIA Planner that this is
remember, it is up to the people you invite to one of your goals. They may suggest ‘supports
accept your invitation or not. coordination’, which is funding to pay for support
to help you achieve your goals, like finding a new
02 place to live.

I don’t want my guardian/family present 05
in the meeting, is this ok?
Can I have more
If you have a legally appointed guardian the NDIA one-to-one support?
will seek their consent before they can go ahead
with the meeting – this is a legal requirement. If Of course you can! You can choose to use your
you would feel more comfortable without your hours of support in whatever way you want. Just
guardian or family member at the meeting, it is remember, one-to-one support will come at
important that you discuss this with your NDIA a higher cost than group support, so it is very
Planner so you can all come to an arrangement important that you talk with your NDIA planner
you feel comfortable with. about including this in your plan.
If you are in the position where you consent for
yourself, then the NDIA will not need to contact 06
your family if you do not wish to have them there.
When will I have my
03 NDIA meeting?

Do I have to change This is up to the NDIA, as they will contact you or
service providers? your guardian directly to organise a time to meet
with you face to face. The NDIA are very flexible
No. The best thing about the NDIS is the choice and will book meetings at a time and place of
it gives to you as an individual. That means you your choosing. If you want to contact the NDIA
can choose to change service providers; it also directly, their number is 1800 800 110.
means you can choose for all, or some things, to
stay the same. 07

Can I stay in the house
I live in now?

Yes, of course you can.

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08 NDIS: National Disability Insurance Scheme
NDIA: National Disability Insurance Agency
What if I do not want to deal
with the NDIA or the NDIS? w w w . s y l v a n v a l e . c o m . a u 11

You don’t have to access the NDIS. However if
you choose not to, it is very important that you
understand the implications of this. Once the
NDIS rolls out, ADHC funding will no longer exist,
so you will need to self-fund your supports which
can be quite costly.

09

How does the
funding work?

The NDIS will use all of the information they
gather from you to build a plan. This plan will be
reflective of what the NDIS has deemed to be
reasonable and necessary supports for you. This
includes the current supports you receive and
those things that may be missing, but could make
a big difference to your quality of life and ability
to be independent. These supports will be shown
in hours of supports and there will be a dollar
figure attached to these hours. If you need help
interpreting your Plan, our Customer Service Team
can help you.

10

Can I choose who provides
my services?

Yes, NDIS funding means you can ‘shop
around’ for the service providers who offer the
products that best suit the outcomes you want
to achieve. While this can sound like a bit
of an overwhelming task, just remember a
Supports Coordinator can help you with this.
If you need supports coordination ask our
Customer Service Team how they can assist.

COMMON QUESTIONS

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
– CARERS

01 03

Where do the funds sit? How is transport funding allocated if
day programs and shared independent
1. NDIA Management: This option minimises living are with multiple organisations?
your work. Your chosen service provider(s)
draw down on funds as per your Service • NDIS Transport Funding will replace the
Agreement, daily or weekly. You can access Mobility Allowance. You can get NDIS
information, transactions and balances Transport Funding only if you cannot take
through the NDIS MyPlace Participant Portal. public transport.

2. Self-management or carer management: This • The NDIS does not fund all transport costs, as
option requires you to draw down on the funds all Australians have transport costs; however,
in your Plan by making a claim through the it recognises the additional transport costs
NDIS MyPlace Participant Portal, which would due to disability. The NDIS will contribute to
be paid into your bank account. Your chosen reasonable and necessary transport supports.
provider(s) invoice you for supports, which you
pay directly. • Sylvanvale will include some transport costs
for our customers in Supported Independent
3. Plan Manager: Your chosen service provider(s) Living (group homes). We cover transport
invoice the Plan Manager, who pays the within a 30km radius. Beyond 30km, we charge
provider directly. for the cost of the support workers’ time and
78c per kilometre in mileage.
02
• Our Customer Service Team can work with
Can I receive support you to identify the best value for money for
in my home? transport beyond 30km; drawing on your NDIS
package, the Taxi Transport Subsidy Scheme,
Yes you can. If this is something you are or private funding.
thinking about, it is important to include it in
your pre-planning and discuss it in your meeting • All other transport to and from day programs
with your NDIA Planner, as the higher cost of is on a fee for service basis.
one-to-one support will need to be reflected
in the participant’s plan.

12 S Y L V A N V A L E I N F O R M | S P E C I A L E D I T I O N

04 05

What can we put in a Plan? In the NDIA meeting,
can I have the Sylvanvale staff member
“My First Plan” aims to successfully roll over the speak for me?
supports each individual currently receives and
to look at how they can fill any support gaps. If you invite a Sylvanvale staff member to your
Sylvanvale has created a pre-planning workbook meeting, they are there as an independent
which helps you think about what you have now, support person for the participant and you.
what you need that is different and what might be Sylvanvale staff members will not speak FOR
stopping that from happening. The workbook can you, but will support you and the participant to
be used to help you prepare your pre-planning communicate your ideas to the NDIS in a way that
document for your NDIA planning meeting. It works best for you.
is available from our Customer Service Team by
calling 1300 244 577 or emailing
[email protected]. Our Customer
Service Team is also available for face-to-face
meetings to help you prepare for your NDIS
planning meeting.

NDIS: National Disability Insurance Scheme
NDIA: National Disability Insurance Agency

w w w . s y l v a n v a l e . c o m . a u 13

VSNEW

Some of the terminology has changed under the NDIS.
Here’s the latest NDIS language.

OLD NEW

Carer or Person Responsible Plan Nominee

Client Participant

Funded programs Individual supports

Block grants Individual payments via
myplace portal

Accommodation Supported Independent
Living (SIL)

Day program/Drop in support Community, Social and
Respite Recreational Activity (Flexible
Support)

Short Term Accommodation/
Flexible Support

Mobility Allowance Transport Allowance

14 S Y L V A N V A L E I N F O R M | S P E C I A L E D I T I O N

NDISOTHER USEFUL
TOOLS &
PUBLICATIONS

NDIS Price Guide Links to these publications
can be found on our website at
This is a useful tool for creating and reviewing our www.sylvanvale.com.au/publications.
NDIS Plan. Alternatively, please call our Customer
Service Team on 1300 244 577 to ask
My NDIS Pathway booklet for your hard copy.

Explains the participant pathway to the NDIS. TIP

How will I access the NDIS? – an If there are some things that
illustrated guide you would like to add or
change in your NDIS Plan,
A simple snapshot of the steps to getting your first
NDIS Plan. you can request a review by
your NDIA Planner within
Letter to NDIS participants from ADHC
12 months of your Plan start
A copy of the letter from Ageing, Disability and and end date.
Home Care to people moving into the NDIS
between 1 July 2017 to 20 June 2018.

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