NDIS Plan and Budgeting Notes

NDIS Plan Basics and Budget Categories

• NDIS plan overview.

• Spreadsheet usage for tracking expenses.

• ClickUp for training and resources.

• NDIS number is client-specific (starts with 430 or 5).

• Reviewing plans 4 months before the end date.

• Occupational therapist (OT) role: Assess daily activities and recommend support, assistive equipment (e.g., wheelchair, sensory items).

• OT referrals are prioritized.

• Plan management options: plan-managed, self-managed, or NDIS managed.

• Unregistered providers can only be used if the plan is plan-managed.

• Importance of aligning goals with funding categories.

• Core supports: assistance with daily life (support workers for meal prep, personal care), social and community participation, and consumables (incontinence pads, low-cost assistive technology).

• Capacity building: skills to increase independence (OT, speech therapy, support coordination).

• Home modifications: for clients with physical disabilities (e.g., widening doors).

NDIS Goals

• Work with participants on at least five goals.

• Goals should relate to funding categories (e.g., communication skills lead to speech therapy funding).

• Examples:

  • Improve communication skills.

  • Increase social circle.

  • Live in a safe housing environment.

NDIS Plan Categories

• Core Supports:

  • Assistance with Daily Life: Support workers for personal care, meal prep, appointments.

  • Assistance with Social and Community Participation: Support workers for social activities.

  • Consumables: Incontinence pads, assistive technology. NDIS is strict on funding iPads; requires strong justification.

• Capacity Building:

  • Skills to increase independence.

  • Funding for OT, support coordination, speech therapy.

  • Improved Daily Living Skills: Funding allocated for OT, speech, and physio.

• Support Coordination:

  • Limited hours per week.

  • Service agreements needed to clarify roles and funding.

• Home Modifications:

  • For clients with physical disabilities.

  • Enable safe movement within the home.

Plan Manager Portal

• Tracking allocated vs. spent amounts.

• Core budget flexibility.

• Importance of tracking assistance with social community and assistance with daily life, especially for 24-hour support needs.

• Downloading spend reports.

Budget Tracker Spreadsheet

• Tracking expenses and remaining budget.

• Formulas calculate remaining funds and spending allowance.

• Total balance funded.

• Amount spent so far.

• Budget remaining.

• Amount that can be spent per week.

• Example:

  • Client: Assam

  • Start Date: 30/08/2024

  • Calculation Date: 14/05/2025

  • Assistance with Daily Life: Total Funded = x, Spent = y, Remaining = x-y

  • Assistance with Social and Community: Total Funded = a, Spent = b, Remaining = a-b

Email Template

• Communicating budget calculations to clients.

• Category breakdown.

• Spent amounts.

• Weekly and monthly spending allowance.

Provider Research

• Finding and Keeping a Job funding.

• Involving participants in business ventures.

• Include participant details: NDIS status, age, diagnosis.

Functional Capacity Assessment

• Client background.

• Behaviors of concern.

• Current support systems.

• OT reports includes:

  • Functional Capacity Assessments (pediatric assessments for children).

  • Diagnosis, address, plan nominee details.

  • Client background information.

  • Copy and pasting of relevant information when completing referrals.

Zero Me - Payslip Website

• Document hours and submit them by Wednesday for Friday pay.

• Week in hand.

Task Allocation

• Tasks listed on Word document.

• Include: budget check completion, email sent to wife including copy of email, notes.