How NDIS funding works for occupational therapy
Which budget occupational therapy comes out of, why plan management matters, and what a functional assessment is actually for.
This is the question we are asked most often, usually by someone who has just had a plan approved and is not sure what to do with it.
Which budget it comes from
Occupational therapy is usually funded from Capacity Building, under Improved Daily Living. That budget is separate from Core supports, and it cannot be moved around as freely, which is why it is worth checking what is in it before you commit it.
Equipment and home modifications are different again. They generally sit under Capital supports, and they usually need an assessment and a report before they can be approved.
Plan managed, self managed or agency managed
It changes who we invoice, not what we do.
- Plan managed: we invoice your plan manager. Most straightforward for you.
- Self managed: we invoice you, and you claim it back.
- Agency managed: we invoice the NDIA directly, and we need to be a registered provider. We are.
What a functional capacity assessment is for
It is a written picture of how you manage everyday tasks: getting up, washing, cooking, getting out of the house, working. It is the document funding decisions get made from, which is why we would rather spend the time in your home watching how the day actually goes than work through a checklist in a clinic.
Expect it to take a couple of hours across one or two visits, and expect the report to take a fortnight or so after that.
If you are not sure
Call us and describe the situation. We will tell you what is likely to be covered and what is not, before you spend anything.