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Frequently Asked Questions

The NDIS is a new way of providing individualised support to people with disability. It is flexible, whole-of-life approach, working with participants, their families, and carers, to develop individualised support plans.

The NDIS works to connect participants with community, culture and mainstream necessary supports to help participants pursue their goals and aspirations, and participate in daily life.

The NDIS means that you will have more CHOICE and CONTROL over your mental health services and TeamHEALTH is here to support you and guide you through this process.

TeamHEALTH staff are able to provide you with the support that you need as we move into the NDIS roll-out across the Territory. We are here to answer your questions and will continue to provide quality mental health supports to support you to participate in daily life.

For further information about the NDIS in the Northern Territory please visit the NDIS website.

To receive funding through the NDIS you need to meet certain requirements. These are summarised below:

  • You live in Australia and are an Australian Citizen, Permanent resident or hold a protected special category visa.
  • You are aged between 0-65 (although already enrolled participants, once they turn 65, can choose either to continue with the NDIS or transfer to the aged care support system available to all Australians over that age).
  • You have a disability that is permanent or likely to be permanent which has an impact on your functional capacity to communicate, interact socially, move safely around your home and the community or manage your personal care or affairs (banking, bill paying etc.)

NDIS access checklist

Psychosocial disability is the NDIS term used to describe disabilities that may arise from mental health issues. Whilst not everyone who has a mental health issue will experience psychosocial disability, those that do can experience severe effects and social disadvantage. People with a significant disability that is likely to be permanent may qualify for NDIS support.

The National Mental Health Consumer and Carer Forum says the term psychosocial disability "describes the disability experience of people with impairments and participation restrictions related to mental health conditions".

For more information check out the Psychosocial disability, recovery, and the NDIS Factsheet.

All reasonable and necessary disability care, equipment and support services will be funded through the NDIS.

Generally, the supports and services that will be provided, if eligible, need to assist you to:

  • work towards achieving your goals
  • become as independent as possible
  • develop skills for day-to-day living
  • participate in the community
  • work and earn money

In practice this means providing support, as and if required, in areas including:

  • mobility
  • communication
  • self-care and self-management
  • social interactions
  • learning
  • building skills and capacity for social and economic participation

Supports that will not be funded are those that are:

  • likely to cause harm to the individual or pose a risk to others
  • unrelated to the individual's disability
  • duplicate other supports provided under alternative funding
  • part of day-to-day living expenses incurred by the general public and not related to disability support needs (e.g. rent, groceries, household bills)
  • related in any way to income replacement

Families and carers play an important part in the lives of NDIS participants – both as a critical relationship and as a source of care and support. Some participants and carers may need assistance to sustain these relationships.

Supports that maintain a carer’s health and wellbeing will also be considered. This support may include participation in a support group or a special interest network. In deciding whether to fund or provide a support, the NDIA will take account of what it is reasonable to expect families, carers, informal networks and the community to provide.

For more information on family and carers supports.

If you are a participant of the TeamHEALTH Carer Support Program and your care recipient meets the NDIS age and residency requirements TeamHEALTH will continue to support you through the application process.

The Disability Support pension along with other income supports and payments such as Carer Payment, Carer Supplement, Carer allowance and Child Disability Assistance Payment are entirely separate to the NDIS and will not be affected if you are eligible for the NDIS.

TeamHEALTH can help you get ready for the NDIS. We are here to answer your questions and prepare you for the assessment processes.

There are two assessment processes:

Eligibility Assessment: this will determine whether a person is eligible for funding
Planning Assessment: to determine a person’s goals and aspirations and then design an individualised funding package to help achieve those goals.

Staff from the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) will undertake these assessments and will use formal systems and tools to ensure consistency, fairness and objectivity. You can bring a support person to these assessments.

The NDIA will work with you to identify current and future support requirements to achieve an individual’s goals.

Mental Health Carers Checklist to prepare for NDIS


TeamHEALTH is negotiating with the Government and the NT Primary Health Network regarding support for its programs for people who will not receive a support package under the NDIS. Many of our programs will continue to provide services to people and to those who are not eligible for NDIS assistance. For the moment, our programs will continue to operate as usual and will continue to provide services to existing users.

If you are a participant of the TeamHEALTH Carer Support Program and your care recipient is found not to have met the NDIS access requirements TeamHEALTH will continue to provide education and support to connect you to the Information, Linkages & Capacity Building (ILC) section of the NDIS.

Find our more about the ILC

If you are currently supported by TeamHEALTH, your support worker can help you contact the NDIA to organise an application. You can also contact them directly on 1800 800 110.

Support Coordination is all about making your NDIS plan come to life as we know it can be challenging to implement the funded supports and services included in your NDIS plan. The NDIS provides funding for Support Coordination to help you put your plan into action and build your capacity so you can manage your own plan in the long term. Your Support Coordinator can also assist you to link up with the service providers you choose, navigate the disability sector and coordinate your informal, funded and mainstream supports.

A TeamHEALTH Support Coordinator will work with you, your family, friends, service providers, therapists, doctors and community resources to develop a detailed support plan that matches the goals developed in your NDIS plan and how these goals will be achieved. We’ll help you understand the flexibility in your funding to make sure you get the most out of it.

From then on your Support Coordinator meets with you regularly to determine how your goals are being achieved and will assist you to make any changes or adjustments you need. We will keep records of your progress which mean you have good information to use when you review your plan with the NDIA (usually happens once a year).

How to get Support Coordination?

It’s important you ask for Support Coordination to be included in your plan when you have your planning conversation with your NDIS planner. If you would like us to provide your Support Coordination or you would like some more information about what we can do for you, please contact on 1300 780 081 or email us teamhealth@teamhealth.asn.au.

Do you need emergency help?

NT Mental Health Line

Ph: 1800 682 288

Lifeline

Ph: 13 11 14
www.lifeline.org.au

Emergency Services

Ph: 000

Kids Helpline

Ph: 1800 55 1800
www.kidshelpline.com.au

Suicide Call Back Service

Ph: 1300 659 467

Headspace

Ph: 1800 650 890
www.headspace.org.au