4 things to know if you are funded for Specialist Support Coordination in the NDIS

Have you been funded for Specialist Support Coordination in your NDIS plan but you’re not sure what it’s all about? Well then, read on!

1. The aim of a Specialist Support Coordinator is to reduce any barriers and complexities in your support environment; to support you to achieve your National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) goals.

A Specialist Support Coordinator will be your implementation partner for your NDIS plan.

You’ll usually have an initial meeting with your chosen Specialist Support Coordinator so they can learn about your goals, needs and priorities. They need to find out all about your life and your goals so they can connect you with the best specialist services to help you meet them, and also so they can support you to manage any risks that might affect you reaching your NDIS goals. Examples of such risks that people with disability funded for Specialist Support Coordination might experience include risk of homelessness, mental health issues, cultural and linguistic diversity and having no informal supports (e.g. family and friends).

They will also monitor your progress towards your NDIS goals and the performance of your support services, working with you if you want to make any changes.

2. You will have been funded for Specialist Support Coordination because the NDIS deemed that it was “reasonable and necessary” that you have specialist support to implement your NDIS plan.

You may have been funded for Specialist Support Coordination if you need additional support to implement your NDIS plan, due to exceptionally complex support needs or high-level risks in your situation.

Specialist Support Coordinators have specialist training, so they are better placed to support people with disability with a range of complex needs and situations. They may come from an allied health, psychology or social work background; and they are trained to connect participants with other specialists.

3. Specialist Support Coordination can help you to resolve or prepare for potential crisis situations.

A Specialist Support Coordinator will work with your support team and seek any specialist advice required to support you to manage any risks in your situation, including resolving or preparing for potential crisis situations. An example of a potential crisis situation is the ageing of a person’s primary carer/reducing their ability to provide care. They will work closely with you and your support network to develop resilience (in you, your support network and community) to resolve any points of crisis.

The right Specialist Support Coordinator will be dedicated to supporting you to achieve your NDIS goals, so they’ll work hard to support you to resolve any issues that could get in the way of this – they’ll want you to succeed!

Yooralla’s Specialist Support Coordination team are responsive, respectful, and skilled in working with people with a wide range of disabilities and complex support. We are excellent and efficient communicators who are passionate about empowering you to reach your goals and live the life you choose.

4. You have choice and control over which Specialist Support Coordinator you want to work with. If you have Specialist Support Coordination funding in your NDIS plan, you may be referred to a Specialist Support Coordination provider by the NDIA, a Government agency or a community organisation. You can also contact a Specialist Support Coordination provider directly about using their services.

Either way, you have choice and control over who will provide your Specialist Support Coordination service and you can change providers if you’re not happy. See Five things to look for in a disability service provider for advice on how to choose service providers. Find out more about Yooralla's experienced Specialist Support Coordinators.

Do you need to find the right Specialist Support Coordinator? Yooralla knows the NDIS and have been providing specialist support through Specialist Support Coordination since the beginning of the NDIS. 

Our experienced team:

• Includes staff with extensive experience and training in disability, from a range of backgrounds including allied health, psychology and social work
• Skilled in working with people with a wide range of disabilities and support needs
• Responsible, respectful and excellent communicators
• Understand the local communities we service
• Passionate about empowering people with disability to live the lives they choose, and
• Specially trained to work with people from diverse cultural backgrounds