Applying for NDIS - Next Steps:

The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) offers crucial funding to support individuals with disabilities. This guide outlines the steps for applying and obtaining this support to meet your specific needs related to disability.

Starting Your Application

Step 1: Access Request (Psychologist Camila can help you with this, there is a fee involved for her time working on the form). Your journey begins with an Access Request to the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA). This requires filling out a form and submitting documents from a health professional, such as a psychologist. These documents are crucial for the NDIA to determine if you meet the criteria based on disability, residency, and age. For detailed guidance, you might consider consulting a professional like a psychologist, who may charge a fee for this service.

Step 2: Assessment If you are autistic or have a psychosocial disability, you may need to undergo further assessments. These Access Request Reports help demonstrate your lifelong need for services, supporting your application.

Coordinating Your Plan

Step 3: Local Area Coordinator (LAC) Once your application meets the access criteria, an NDIS-appointed Local Area Coordinator will help you create your NDIS Plan. This coordinator could be from the NDIA or a partnered non-governmental organisation.

Step 4: Planning Meeting During the planning meeting with your LAC, you'll discuss your disability needs and goals. It’s beneficial to bring a support person to help you articulate your needs clearly, especially if you find it challenging to convey your thoughts or interpret the nuances of questions being asked.

Understanding the Subtext

It's important for autistic individuals to recognise that some questions might have deeper meanings than they appear. For instance, a question about further education after high school may actually be probing your ability to complete a course successfully, rather than just your enrolment. Misunderstandings here can lead to an underestimation of your needs and less funding.

Securing the Right Support

To avoid misinterpretation during your planning meeting, having a support person present is advisable. They can help clarify the intentions behind questions and ensure your actual needs are communicated effectively.

Implementing Your Plan

Step 5: Activation After your NDIS Plan is approved, you can start utilising the outlined supports and services. For ongoing support, entities like Very Helpful Chats offer occupational therapy and psychology services to help you achieve your NDIS plan goals.

Applying for NDIS funding involves several crucial steps that can be significantly streamlined with the right information and support. Make sure to engage with professionals who understand the system and can advocate on your behalf, ensuring that your unique needs are recognised and met.

References:

1. Very Helpful Chats. Information on accessing NDIS support and services.

Neurodiversity … What is this exactly?

Hello everyone! I’m a psychologist specialising in working with neurodivergent kids and adults. Did you know the term "neurodiversity" was created by Judy Singer, an Australian sociologist, back in the 1990s? It’s a concept that views conditions like autism, ADHD, and dyslexia not as deficits, but as variations in brain wiring, each adding to the diverse ways we experience the world.

Honestly, I used to see autism and ADHD as something far removed from my own life, the kind of thing you only see in films or on TV. But when I first came across the term "neurodiversity," it blew my mind. I was incredibly curious and couldn’t stop soaking up all the information I could find about it.

I’ve always been somewhat critical of how the mental health professionals tend to label people with disorders or deficiencies. But I absolutely fell for the idea that just like the natural world thrives on biodiversity, human society thrives on neurodiversity—our different brain make-ups.

This notion is beautifully articulated in the book "Is This Autism: A Guide for Clinicians and Everyone Else." It challenges the idea of a 'normal' brain, promoting the view that brain variations are not a matter of better or worse; they're just differences that can be evolutionarily advantageous. Autism, for instance, is an inherent part of who someone is.

On a personal note, I struggled quite a bit in school. I couldn’t keep up in class and found school lunch breaks overwhelming with all the noise and activity, often retreating to a quiet spot by myself. This isolation affected my ability to make friends and shook my self-confidence. If only my school had recognised my needs as a neurodivergent child and provided a quiet, sensory-friendly space, with other neurodivergent kids I might have felt more included and connected with my classmates.

The neurodiversity paradigm embraces these differences and highlights the strengths they bring. In therapy, our aim is to increase awareness and understanding, helping people to live lives that are true to themselves, without having to hide or mask their genuine identities. I’m also excited to explore how receiving a diagnosis has positively impacted both my life and my family's.

I’m looking forward to sharing more about the importance of recognising and supporting neurodiversity. Watch this space.

Written by Camila Kuss, Neurodivergent Psychologist

References:

Is this Autism? A Guide for Clinicians and everyone else

Is this Autism? A Companion Guide for Diagnosing

How can a diagnosis and assessment process be beneficial?

How can a diagnosis and assessment process be beneficial? Well, first off, it's pretty amazing to have a professional just there to listen and validate everything you're going through. I felt exactly that when I met with my psychologist alongside my mum. It was incredibly liberating to open up about all I experienced as a child, having a professional understand and my mum there to acknowledge and validate my feelings. That moment was truly special.

The assessment itself is like a journey of self-discovery! You get to explore aspects of yourself that you may have never shown anyone before, perhaps even aspects you've been hiding from yourself. But moving onto the diagnosis, receiving one can be hugely validating—I definitely found it to be. However, it's important to note that for some, this process can be quite challenging.

As a professional—myself in this case—I look at your entire story, right from childhood through to the early years, trying to identify patterns of behaviour and internalised experiences that either meet or do not meet the criteria for neurodivergence (like Autism, ADHD, or maybe signs of something else). This diagnosis can help you and your family understand you better, encourage you to read more about it, and also advocate for necessary accommodations at school, university, and the workplace.

You might also be eligible to access NDIS funding with the professional report I provide. It’s essential to understand that a diagnosis offers legal rights, accommodations, and support. But remember, a diagnosis shouldn’t be seen as something negative within the client. Instead, it provides a deeper understanding of a person born with a different type of nervous system.

Then, you can discuss with your psychologist—me, in this scenario—the tools and strategies for living a more authentic life as a neurodivergent person in a world designed for non-neurodivergent people, and push for a better world that appreciates and understands differences.

References:

Is this Autism? A Guide for Clinicians and everyone else

Is this Autism? A Companion Guide for Diagnosing

Unmasking Autism