09/04/2020
In the current climate it’s good to hear that the NDIS is supporting individuals to access devices ...
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Has anyone heard if there are any companies supporting access to reasonably priced & structured data plans?? 🤔
BREAKING NEWS UPDATE WITH TRANSCRIPT: The NDIA is now officially encouraging people to flexibly use your funds to purchase devices if you don't already have one to access online therapy and fitness services. The NDIA is also working to source devices for participants!
Information direct from NDIA DCEO Scott McNaughton on the currently broadcasting Every Australian Counts live webinar. Huge shout out to the Every Australian Counts team for their work to make this webinar happen, and to them and all the advocates and participants and families and providers who have been pushing so hard to help the NDIS support these purchases.
You do not need reports etc to do this (but you might want some advice from an OT or similar to make sure you get what's needed) and claim from your core funds, but don't go silly - only buy what is needed (and that's not going to be the top of the line $1500 item - if you want that, maybe just claim the cost of a basic item).
You would generally claim this from consumables funding, if not, from any other core :bucket". If you do not have core funds, and need the device to access CB funds, my personal opinion (not official at this point) would be to use your CB funds.
You can also call the call centre on 1800 800 100 (select option 5) and ask them to shift funds, or switch some funds to self managed so you can purchase if you are agency managed.
Here is part of the transcript from the EAC webinar:
GAIL (webinar attendee): What if we do not have an iPad, laptop, computer, the internet? Can we use some NDIS funding for these things?
SCOTT MCNAUGHTON:
A really good question and one that is coming up a lot. It is one of the top questions being asked at our national contact centre.
The positive around this, I must say, Gail, and people watching today,
is that we are starting to hear a lot of innovative ways service providers are changing business models. Participants can continue to get some of their therapies and certain support by the internet. That is great.
We have heard some examples of gym classes run online as well. Fantastic. It makes sure people can still access, using different social media to do that. It encourages providers to think innovatively. We do not want people... once the worlds wakes up in COVID- in six's month’s time with children having progress erased.
We want access to continue for these innovative services.
Regarding the actual question... a lot of Australians have access to those devices, we know that. But when you don't, and when you need a device to continue to access your disability services, we are encouraging you to use your NDIS plan to access those.
So you can get those support. It is important, where you need certain things and those devices to be those online therapies, online gym classes.
To connect with your speech therapist, or whoever is supporting you through your NDIS plan, we encourage people, if they do not have a device, to use the plane fixedly and purchased one.
There will be more coming out on this including how we speed up the supply of access to those devices as well.
We are working on that in the background, so in the meantime if you have funding in your plan and you need one of these to access your supports, we encourage you to use your plan flexibly to purchase such a device you can keep receiving supports.
KIRSTEN DEANE: That's really good news. I can see from the chat,
Stay tuned to https://www.ndis.gov.au/coronavirus for the official update to their Q&A's
