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23.01.2022 What does the NDIA want in regards to Report writing?!?!?!? Our GPs and Specialists are often use to writing recommendations and referrals but often this type of letter or report is not sufficient for an NDIA planner to use as evidence. The result is that a plan may be insufficiently funded or you may have to go back and ask for another one. So what do they want. ... Valid have come up with an excellent report for you, so you can be upskilled and then if needed, upskill your specialist or GP. Key Points (see below for file): 10 steps to excellent NDIS therapy reports Step 1 Understand that the NDIS is different Step 2 Start with plain language Step 3 Provide evidence for everything Step 4 Make clear, strong recommendations Step 5 Understand ‘reasonable & necessary’ Step 6 Explicitly respond to the reasonable & necessary criteria Step 7 Therapies must achieve outcomes Step 8 Stay within scope Step 9 Focus on readability Step 10 Be appeal ready https://www.valid.org.au//10-steps-to-excellent-National-D

23.01.2022 How do I choose an Accommodation Provider? We are very lucky here in the New England as we have so many different options for people needing accommodation. Increasingly we are seeing providers move into housing by renting, buying or building homes for people with disability creating more flexible options. But with all this choice, it raises the question. how do we decide? hmm. A little background information At this point in time we generally have two arrangements happening:...Continue reading

22.01.2022 Be aware - COVID-19 scammers Unfortunately, due to COVID-19 we are seeing an increase in online scam activity. Some participants are receiving an email requesting they pay an expected or regular invoice, into a different bank account, than the one on the invoice.... They are genuine looking emails that will state some urgent or important reason you need to pay the invoice into a different bank account. The bank account is a fraudulent bank account, and you won’t know you’ve been scammed, until the original invoice provider, contacts you about the unpaid account. If you receive a suspicious email: do not reply to the email or pay the money into the suggested account call the supplier of the invoice and ask if they sent the email or requested you pay it into a different account. contact your bank or financial institution if you have already paid the invoice into the fraudulent account, and take steps to recover the payment or freeze the account contact the NDIS fraud reporting hotline on 1800 650 717 or email [email protected] if you think your personal or financial information has been stolen. We will be updating the NDIS website with further COVID-19 Scam alerts, and practical information to help you keep your personal and financial information safe. Information supplied by the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA)

22.01.2022 Fun Facts about Transport!! Disability Services Consulting have a Q and A page up on the on Transport The Price Guide has created 2 new definitions of transport:... Activity Based Transport: Transport to, or from, or as part of, a community participation support. This is transport delivered by a registered provider who will also be supporting the person at the destination. There are new line items in the Price Guide that people can use to claim vehicle costs for these types of trips . General Transport Services: Transport to an activity that is not itself a support or to a support that is delivered by another provider.. This category includes transport to places where service is delivered by an unregistered provider, a provider other than the transport provider or somewhere where no support is being delivered. There is no increased flexibility for this type of trip, which still needs to be paid from a person’s transport budget (usually paid straight to the participant's bank account). See here here for the full Q and A https://teamdsc.com.au/resources/transport-qa

21.01.2022 I want to move out... where do I start... The path to moving out of home into your own place has a few different twists to it and it's largely dependent on where you want to live, who you want to live with and your support needs. These questions are where you begin your search for accommodation, as you dig a little deeper more questions will follow, including:... What supports do I need to live the life I want? Do I want to live close to my family? What public and private services do I want to live near? even Do I want to rent, build or own my home? An excellent place to start this journey is with a Housing Plan. This document will answer all these question and a lot more and can be used as a key document to ensure you are on the right path to the home you want. The amazing people at The Summer Foundation have put together a very comprehensive Housing Plan for you to use. It can be found here: https://www.summerfoundation.org.au//my-housing-preferenc/ . If there is a desperate need to find accommodation then you will need to request a plan review. If you are happy to wait till the end of your current plan then you can begin discussing these new goals of finding accommodation with your NDIS Planner/Support Coordinator or Local Area Coordinator. Having this goal in your plan will trigger capacity building funding to support you to research different accommodation options, complete any assessments you might need in regards to home modifications or equipment and compile the required evidence you need to support your request for the housing option you need. Next Post will be on... What are my options? Further information about housing can be found here on the NDIS website: https://www.ndis.gov.au//housing-and-living-supports-and-s If you would like to know more than please give us a call today.

20.01.2022 New price guide due on the 1st July but they have brought it out early for us to get use to it.

19.01.2022 Housing!? What are my options? The NDIS is there to support you to live an ordinary life, but I think most people might like to do a little better than that and make it extraordinary. Moving out of your family home is a normal part of one's life and it is very important that you know your options and choose what's best for you. At this stage you will have a support team around you which might consist of a support coordinator, family and friends and maybe even some service pr...oviders that specialise in accommodation. It's important to stay true to your original housing plan and not allow others to sway you based on what is available or what they can offer. So what are your options. The NDIS refers to three housing options: 1. Individual Living Options (ILO) this option is focused on working with the participant and their family to consider their needs and preferences, and design a flexible package of supports. This option is very flexible and is designed to ensure you maximise your independence but continue to get support when you need it. These supports can be delivered in any accommodation you choose to live in. 2. Supported independent living (SIL): this option is to help with and/or the supervision of daily tasks to develop the skills of an individual to live as independently as possible. These supports are provided to a participant in their home, regardless of property ownership, and can be in a shared or individual arrangement. This funding is for those requiring 24/7 support with the types of support varying depending on individual needs. This funding is delivered in partnership with a SIL provider of the participant's choice. For more Information on SIL The Endeavour Foundation have a very good easy to read information page: https://www.endeavour.com.au//blog/supported-independent-l 3. Specialised Disability Accommodation (SDA) : SDA refers to accommodation for people who require specialist housing solutions, including to assist with the delivery of supports that cater for their extreme functional impairment or very high support needs. Funding is only provided to a small proportion of NDIS participants with extreme functional impairment or very high support needs who meet specific eligibility criteria. This funding is not for support workers, but rather the actual building, built to a specific standard to support someone with very high support needs. If you would like more information on SDA it can be found here: https://www.summerfoundation.org.au//sda-payments-dec-2017 Next post will be on how to choose an Accommodation Provider.

18.01.2022 Please explain! The NDIS have dedicated a page to booklets and factsheets which offers an enormous amount of reading and explanations on a variety of topics like: Early childhood intervention, Understanding the NDIS, Developing your NDIS Plan, ... Assistance animal guidance How the NDIS interacts with a range of mainstream services. If you are wanting to know more, this is a very good place to start. Happy reading. Alternatively, give us a call, and we can run through whatever questions you might have. Ph: 0405150737 https://www.ndis.gov.au//publicati/booklets-and-factsheets

18.01.2022 Agile delivers quality Support coordination services to people with disability. Too much on your plate due to Covid-19? Are you within 3 months of your end of plan date? ... Now is the ideal time to begin preparing for your next planning meeting. Preparing reports, assessments, checking equipment, getting quotes, preparing personal statements and making changes to your goals. Would you like assistance? Agile prides itself in going that extra mile for you so that what ends up in your plan reflects your support needs. We spend the time listening to you so that when your NDIA planner goes to write your budget they know the link between your goal, your needs and your requested supports. Support Coordination Funding The NDIA due to COVID-19 recently made changes allowing you to claim support coordination hours from your Core Supports. This means even if you do not have allocated support coordination hours, you can still use Agile to assist during this difficult time. It is extremely important that your funding for your goals are not disrupted in your next year’s plan due to events that are happening now. If you need assistance, then please give me a call for a confidential discussion Wishing you good health and hope to hear from you soon. Sincerely Paul Chambers Support Coordinator Agile Support Services www.agiless.com.au

17.01.2022 Linda offers her advice on looking for SDA. This is a wonderfully made video by the Summer Foundation. I think it offers some excellent tips for looking for SDA. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4GwP4N6Cfg

15.01.2022 Are you looking for a social story on Covid-19? Social stories are fantastic at giving explanations around current or upcoming events that may result in a person with a disability feeling anxious or uncertain. Social stories might also be used for changes in schooling, an upcoming holiday or changing homes. Carol Gray's website is a fantastic place to start learning about social stories and to borrow some ideas. https://carolgraysocialstories.com//Pandemics-and-the-Coro

13.01.2022 Have you used Agile Support Services before? We’d love to know your thoughts! Your review helps get the word out about us greatly. Allows other people to learn what we do and what we are about. If you have some time please click on the link below which will take you to google reviews. Of course you are also welcome to leave a review on this Facebook page. All feedback accepted Thankyou... https://g.co/kgs/uqk1c6

10.01.2022 Agile highly recommends seeking out Financial advice on matters of insurance, Superannuation and investing. There are a number of free services. Please see the below email from Moneycare. From: Sandy Avis [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Monday, 31 August 2020 9:21 AM To: Brian Phillip Sherwood; Kellie Lansley Subject: Moneycare - Welcomes new staff ... Good morning services, Moneycare is expanding and would like to welcome our two new Financial Counsellors who will be covering the Tamworth area with face to face, telephone, or Microsoft Teams appointments available. Brian and Kellie come to us with extensive knowledge in the community services sector. Brian Sherwood working Mon Wed [email protected] Kellie Lansley working Wed- Friday [email protected] Brian or Kellie can be contacted directly on 0466 772 013 Both Kim and myself will still cover these areas as well as outreach to the North West, including Armidale, Glen Innes, Gunnedah, Inverell, Narrabri, Moree, Tenterfield and surrounding areas. As our capacity to see community members has increased there is currently now waiting time. Should you have any questions please feel free to make contact Kind Regards Sandy ______________________________________________________________________________________ Sandy Avis Financial Counsellor FC991 Moneycare Northern NSW The Salvation Army Australia Territory salvationarmy.org.au Email: [email protected] Mail: Po Box 5068 South Tamworth NSW 2340 Mobile: 0456 629 531 Fax: 6762 0016

10.01.2022 Have you considered volunteering? Tamworth has some fantastic volunteering opportunities that give people the chance to contribute, form friendships, and create networks of support. If you have a disability and funded for group support, then you may like to change this to 1 to 1 support for a short time giving you the additional support while commencing your volunteer work before withdrawing the 1 to 1 support when you are confident. Current opportunities include:... Tamworth Visitor Information Centre Volunteer Meals on Wheels Volunteer King George Ave Working Bee Volunteer GoCo Group Support Volunteer GoCo Companion Volunteer Home Library Service Volunteer Community Visitor Scheme Volunteer Tamworth Powerstation Museum Volunteer Marsupial Park Volunteer Stigma Smasher - Mental Health Advocate Riding for the Disabled Volunteer News On Wheels Plant Nursery Assistant GoCo Volunteer Driver Meals on Wheels Volunteer - Barraba and Nundle Justice Advocate https://www.ruvolunteering.org.au/search

08.01.2022 Are you looking to do online courses? Sue Larkey has some fabulous courses on working or caring for children on the spectrum. https://elearning.suelarkey.com.au/

07.01.2022 Hi everyone, I hope you are all enjoying the extra informative posts that I have been posting on my Facebook page. I will continue doing so, sharing information and resources that I think will assist you with your NDIS journey. As part of this change we have updated our website a little and narrowed our core services. By reducing our services, our aim is to increase the quality and value of our remaining services. Additionally we will have more time to take on significant projects that build everyone's knowledge and understanding of the NDIS. We always welcome your feedback and thoughts on anything we do. If you have some time, it would be very much appreciated if you like/share or place a review on the page. Hope you are all safe and well. Thank you for all your support

07.01.2022 Did you know your plan can finish early? Yes it can and often will. There are no rules stating that a plan must run as per the NDIS Plan dates and often when a plan is submitted early by a planner or Local Area Coordinator it will result in the start date being moved forward. Example. Current Plan End date (as per plan) 12/08/2020... Participant has planning meeting on 01/07/2020. The Plan is submitted by the local area coordinator and is set to start on the 01/08/2020. Current Plan End Date = 31/07/2020. NEW Plan Start Date = 01/08/2020 Can I choose my start date? If you have funds you plan on spending or assessments you need completing then you should mention this in your planning meeting. Ultimately you have no say in when your current plan ends and new plan starts. What Does this mean for my funding? If you have funds saved to complete assessments or respite or purchases such as consumables then these will come out of whatever plan is active. That is the day the service or purchase is used or made, is the day it will be charged to your plan. You cannot backdate a charge to your old plan. It means that if these charges come out of your new plan you may have to reduce hours for that year. What happens to the left over funds? Any left over funds can be accessed for a period of 90 days for services completed during that plan time. You cannot use these funds for anything else. Anything left over simply goes back into the big pool of NDIS funding. Personally I am of the belief it would be simpler system for all involved if plans were allowed to run their full course. I have seen many many times people run into trouble, particularly around therapy funds when they are expecting funds to be taken from an old plan, and then suddenly the plan dates change and they need to be taken from a new plan. It means less therapy hours for that year. You can supply feedback to the NDIA on this matter by writing to : email your form to: [email protected] post your form to: National Disability Insurance Agency, GPO Box 700, Canberra ACT 2601 drop your form off at any National Disability Insurance Scheme office.

07.01.2022 New Price Guide Changes to come into effect as of 1st of July. https://www.ndis.gov.au/providers/price-guides-and-pricing

06.01.2022 Is this my Planning Meeting? Of late I have heard several examples of people not realising that they have had their planning meeting over the phone. This is quite a big issue because it's so important that you plan for your meeting, have an advocate with you if you need to, and be in a safe and comfortable place where you can give 100% of your attention. Why? Because the information you give will be then used to build your plan for the next 12 to 24 months. If you are 3 month...s out and you hear from your Local Area Coordinator, then expect it to be about your planning meeting. Ask about it and plan a day where you are comfortable. What should I do to prepare? 1. Revisit your goals: your goals are the foundation for your plan. Your planner needs to connect all your funding to your goals, so it is important you have relevant ones. If you want support at home, in the community, assistive technology, home modifications, or therapy, make sure you have a goal linked to it. 2. Review your supports: What worked and what did not? If you are seeking more or additional supports, what has changed from your last plan and what evidence do you have to demonstrate this need. Doctors, therapist, specialist reports, teacher’s reports, service provider reports, letters from carers, or close friends are all very relevant and will help you demonstrate your need. 3. What do I want the next 12-24 months to look like? Your plan needs to cover everything for that period. Look ahead, plan out the supports you need, and consider all possible changes. Will you need new assistive technology like a wheelchair, do you need maintenance completed on your existing assistive technology, will there be a period where your supports will drop and how will you cope during this period. Things like that. 4. Start planning early: Your local area coordinator may look to complete a plan review up to three months prior to the end of your plan. It is important that you commence planning early and have reports in place as needed. 5. Build a report: Your local area coordinator collects information based on the questions you answer and then presents this information to an NDIA Planner to formalise your plan with a budget. If information is missed on the day, then no one will ask questions and your plan might not be as you wish. If you build a report that neatly states your goals, your support requests, your evidence, your carer’s statement, and any other relevant information you can be confident the Planner is taking in all your circumstances. Did you know that support coordination is now in Core Supports? Agile believes that in order to make the most out of your NDIS Plan you need to plan. If you would like assistance with end of year planning, building a support team, completing a plan review or anything else in relation to your NDIS Plan, then please give us a call and we will be only too happy to assist.

05.01.2022 Have you considered a training video? Now is the ideal time to ensure that your staff are up to date with how you want your services delivered. One way of doing this is through one or more training videos. This is a great tool for new and existing staff, letting them know how you want and need your supports delivered. Training videos can be on: 1. You; your personality, how you would like to be treated, your likes and dislikes.... 2. Manual handling such as hoisting 3. Delivering personal care 4. Assistance with personal tasks 5. Orientation of your home and how you would like people to be behave. If you would like assistance with developing training videos please get in contact with us. Paul Chambers 0405150737 [email protected] www.agiless.com.au https://cdn.dribbble.com///screenshots/1773134/kino_01.gif

05.01.2022 Looking for a NDIS Service Provider? Agile Support Services is a family business operating out of Calala and currently has availability. We pride ourselves in going that extra mile for families and individuals taking the time to listen to your needs, create an action plan and ensure you are in control. As a local provider we are close by whenever you need us to provide expect advice and to build your capacity to navigate the NDIS system. We are more than happy to drop round a...nd discuss any of the following and more: 1. Review your NDIS plan, budget, and services currently in place 2. Review and provide advice for an upcoming plan review 3. Support your understanding on any NDIS topic including accommodation, transport, the online portal, or assistive technology 4. Support you to find new services and review your current ones according to your goals and needs. 5. Support a move to self-managing your NDIS Plan. We look forward to hearing from you. Agile Support Services 0405150737 [email protected] www.agiless.com.au

03.01.2022 Needing extra information? For those of us who learn through visual material the NDIA have created their own Youtube channel with over 250 videos. There’s a great selection in there of success stories and factual videos on the NDIS. I’ve selected out a few interesting ones. What is the NDIS? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1DMqCzdDzKM Reasonable and necessary supports... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TAMD1S-gorM Your plan and your budget https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QzzTFm4McpQ Increased Flexibility for low cost Assistive Technology https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHNlrVlPJHY My plan is about to end https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IuI3fNrjmto Nina’s Top Tips on NDIS Planning https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rRe39j_s9Bg See more

02.01.2022 Can you please review, like and share this post. If you are able to, then please donate, but if not, sharing would be marvellous. It is about Petirini Marsters who 3 months into her move to Australia from the Cook Islands, suffered a stroke. She has a permanent disability, requires 24/7 support but is not eligible to be an Australian Citizen and therefore cannot receive a pension. Petirini's been supported by her younger sister who gave up her full time job in the Health System and her life to care for her sister. Petirini’s sister now has her own significant health concerns to take into account. Funding raised will go towards legal costs for Petirini to try and become an Australian Citizen and also to Petirni's ongoing living costs. Many Thanks https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-petirini-to-gain-citzens