Applying for NDIS
Follow this step-by-step guide to help you apply for NDIS. You are eligible if you have Parkinson’s are under 64 years, and meet the requirements set out here.
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Access to local information and resources
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Guidance on mainstream, state/territory government-funded and community supports
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Find supports for independence and daily living
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Pursue activities and hobbies in your local community
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Build relationships with people and places that matter
To become an NDIS participant you need to download the NDIS Access Request Form or telephone 1800 800 110 and ask for one to be posted out to you. Be sure to get an NDIS reference number. You may be offered the option of filling the form out over the phone, but given the detail required on the form, we strongly encourage you to fill it out with assistance from the following support people:
Primary treating health professional
Ask your Neurologist and/or GP to provide a copy of your diagnosis and a letter of support as to why you are applying for the NDIS, including the impacts of your Parkinson’s symptoms on your everyday life. They will also need to fill out Section 2 of the Access Request Form.
NDIS-Partner supported Applications – NEW!
An NDIS-partner, e.g. Local Area Coordinator, can now support you to apply for NDIS. Find out more at the NDIS website.
Allied Health Professionals
If you are already seeing an allied health professional you can request a supporting letter for your application. If you are newly diagnosed, as you assemble your care team and if they have been treating you for at lease 6 months you can include these in your application too. Don’t worry though, as the initial plan if accepted often provides funding for these initial assessments.
Occupational Therapist
Many states and territories have OTs associated with local Parkinson’s organisations that can support you. The following assessments can be carried out by an Occupational Therapist to include in your application, but can be funded through NDIS if your plan is accepted:
- Functional Assessment
- Home Safety Assessment
- Balance and Mobility Assessments
- Cognitive Assessment
- Disability Impact Assessments
A Primary Support Person/Carer Impact Statement template is available in the My NDIS Info section of the YOPX App. It can be a valuable supporting document for your NDIS application to demonstrate everyday difficulties you experience through the eyes of the primary person who supports you. It is written by the person who is your primary support, for example your spouse, partner, housemate, best friend, parent or sibling. They will need to provide additional details of how young onset Parkinson’s is impacting on your quality of life and the lives of those around you. You can email them the template from My NDIS Info in the app.
Other health professionals can provide support letters including speech pathologists, psychologists, psychiatrists, and physiotherapists that have been treating you for at least six months.
Whatever reports you provide, make sure they are clear about the impact your Parkinson’s has on your daily life, addressing the key domains of mobility, communication, socialising, learning, self-care and self-management.
- Printed My NDIS Info (emailed to yourself from the YOPX App)
- Letter of diagnosis from your primary treating professional
- Occupational therapist assessments
- Primary support person/carer impact statement
- Evidence of age and Australian residence including citizenship or visa status
- Letter(s) from your other treating health professionals
Once your application form has been completed, the fastest way you can return it is email it to NAT@ndis.gov.au. However, you can take it to an NDIA office or an NDIA Local Area Coordinator (LAC) to be lodged.
In this way, you will be given a delivery receipt, and you can expect to receive a response within 21 days. Remember to attach the supporting documents to your signed and dated Access Request Form.
Getting your plan right the first time
It is difficult to get more money for your plan once your application has been approved, and a plan review may take a long time. For this reason, getting the correct supports included in your first application for the NDIS is really important.
Encourage your treating health professionals to contact your local Parkinson’s organisation. They can provide a secondary consult, helping improve their understanding of your Parkinson’s symptoms and the impact of them on your everyday function.