Lived Experience Forum

[Kateeg84]

Hey guys, I have Bi-polar, PTSD, depression and until the last two years and I have no idea what kind of support is out there other then a psychiatrist and psychologist. I have only been seeing a psychiatrist for a year so I could finally get medicated and start coping better. There is so many questions in regards to the NDIS and what it's going to provide and some don't even know that the NDIS even exists and that mental health can be funded under it.
I have been doing a lot of research on social media and websites and have helped others sharing this information so thought I would here as well
ISo here is what I know
The eligibility criteria is that you need to be able to provide evidence that it effects you on a daily basis and also that it is going to be a life long issue
The application process has been extremely slow at the moment and that's been very disappointing. The planning process itself once your approved can be daunting especially if you don't have any one to help you with it all
I'm seeing some circumstances where peopl are getting great plans (people won't say how much they go in their budget) others are being under funded and having to go through the review process. Some are being left with inadequate plans because they are just to tired to go through the review process
A lot of this is coming down to the actual planner who you have your plan Discussion with. Most have little to no qualifications or experience in regards to mental health and are not able to see the clear picture the consumer is trying to create. And also some of us with mental health issues struggle to put certain things into words and explain ourselves in a way that is completely understood (this could be just me)
Also a lot of people don't have pre planning knowledge so go in with no info feeling lost. The NDIS plan we receive is completely based on the goals that we set out for the year and the supports that we are asking for need to be in regards to the goal. It makes it difficult because basically we have to plan backwards. Go to the NDIS.gov.au website and type in price list. This will give you a full list of what is available under the NDIS. You check out what you think may be beneficial for your mental health journey then you create your goals around that. For example I am severely obese so I am wanting to access a Persona Trainer and dietician under the NDIS so I will creat a goal around that. Not around obesity because they don't help with medical issues. So I word it like I want to improve my health and wellbeing and wanting to learn and gain experience to impairment these in my every day life
We obviously won't be entitled to everything and people don't need to go in being greedy. Just choose what would really help you in your journey
The other key thing I've found is in the planning meeting we need to paint a clear picture of our life and how things really are for us. The more the planner knows about the situation the better picture of what supports we would be entitled to is given. It can be daunting explaining how bad things are but I have hope that it's going to be for the greater good

That's the main info i wanted to share for now. When I actually get a plan and go through that process I'll come back in and post and let everyone know my experience. I am a big advocate now of sharing my mental health stories and also sharing the knowledge about the NDIS
Hope this has been helpful

[Mazarita]

Hi @Kateeg84,

Thanks for posting. It is really great to hear some first hand news about this. I'm also going to tag another member, @eth, who I know has been looking for information like this on the forum. Kind wishes.

[Kateeg84]

No worries more then happy to share. If anyone has any specific questions they would like to ask, it I don't know the answer I'm pretty quick to start searching to find it

[eth]

Thank you very much @Kateeg84 and @Mazarita.  Please keep me posted @Kateeg84 it seems we have similar conditions.  I posted NDIS my application forms yesteray.  Am keeping a record of the process on another thread, "anyone started with the NDIS?".

[janedoe2]

Hello @Kateeg84.
I phoned to get the form sent to me as the person I spoke to said I could get psychologist visits paid for. I wasn't sure if the medicare funded psychologist system was being replaced. Instead she explained once the medicare funded visits were used I could get funding through NDIS. Is all this info accurate? Is there any other things I can get help with?
I am realising it will take some time to get approved.

[Kateeg84]

Yeah it can take some time and a bit of effort as well.

Anyone reading this now I want you to pay attention to this particular comment so you don't make the same mistake I did. So I was told, and it's also on the internet that the GP or any other health professional can fill out the access request forms. I rang up in October last year to apply, I hadn't heard anything so rang in second week of January, I was '''conditionally approved" over the phone after having forms that they sent in filled in by GP or health professional. They DID NOT I repeat DID NOT accept my request based on what the GP wrote. I was told at this current time I am not eligible and they are sending me out further forms that need to be filled in by my psychiatrist. That I have to make an appointment with, pay for and wait for that appointment then wait for the forms to be looked at again.

If I am completely honest it's actually caused more issues then my mental health then it has helped with at the moment.

So the access request forms DONT BE FOOLED, don't get your GP to sign even though they say that option is okay

[Kateeg84]

That being said once approved and the whole application is sorted we are supposed to get a bit of help. If you go to the NDIS website in the search option put price list. They're should be a couple of options that come up but you want the page that lets you choose what state you are in. tClick on your state your in and the full price guide will come up. That is everything that the NDIS will fund. It's based on your disability and the goals that you set what you do actually get funded. So don't go in expecting everything, we just will get what is supposed to be able to help us to live as 'norma life' as possible

[janedoe2]

Sitting here with my partner. Both of us thinking of applying for NDIS. Not sure if it will be worth the stress. I'll check out the prices and offered services. Thank you so much for your reply.
Please let us know how you go with your application.

[Kateeg84]

Look at the moment I can't say a lot of positive things in regards to mental health and the ndis. Due to my own experiences and seeing others

[Kateeg84]

BUT what I can say that it has changed my children's lives. I have 3 boys under 8 with autism and my eldest also has ADHD. I couldn't afford weekly speech and OT appointments for 3 children. And with autism they say early intervention is the key. The boys got weekly speech and OT and the younger two boys got a small respite package witch allows them to go to Barnardos once a fortnight on a Saturday (disabled centre for children) the middle one and my eldest get to go out every second Saturday with Barnardos.
I have no family in this state and all 3 boys are runners. So I can take the boys out on my own. So prior to the NDIS we barely went anywhere. So for my boys the NDIS has been amazing.