Complex Support Coordination
NDIS Mental Health Supports
When does NDIS fund mental health supports?
You may have been told that NDIS does not fund mental health supports, that’s it’s not the responsibility of the NDIS. This is correct in so far as ‘treatment’ is concerned. The NDIS does not fund ‘treatment’ of mental health. However it does fund mental health supports to manage the day to day impact of disabilities. If you have a NDIS plan you may be able to engage mental health professionals.
Which professional should I get?
There are 3 types of professionals delivering mental health supports under the NDIS. Which professional you engage depends on your NDIS plan and what your needs are.
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The role of a Recovery Coach is to provide mental health focused support coordination in a flexible manner. That is, the Recovery Coach does everything a support coordinator does and is also available in times of increased need on evenings and weekends. The Recovery Coach is your go-to person for all things NDIS and can liaise with your non-NDIS mental health supports.
Recovery Coaches are a mixed bag. There are no minimum qualifications mandated by the NDIS, so some are highly skilled and fantastic, whereas others simply don’t know what they’re doing and can cause more harm.
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The role of a Therapist is to manage the day to day (functional) impact of your disabilities. This could be helping manage your anxiety or stress. A Therapist is usually not available outside of office hours, although there are some exceptions (such as myself).
Therapists are qualified allied health professionals with recognised university degrees such as social workers, psychologists, occupational therapists, etc. They are often members of professional associations and have to abide by their association’s code of conduct.
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The role of a Counsellor is to help with mental health coping strategies and developing a more positive outlook. There is some overlap with the roles of a Recovery Coach and Therapist. A Counsellor is generally not available outside office hours.
There are no mandated qualifications for counsellors, although they should have a basic mental health qualification (as a minimum) and membership of a professional association such as ACA and PACFA. Counsellors work with different theoretical frameworks and approaches. It’s important to ask which framework they’ll be working with before you start counselling, as that framework may not suit your needs.