Every 3 months, the Reference Group connects with the community to find out about issues that have been affecting them.

The Reference Group members shared these issues with the NDIA Board.

Reference Group members said they are worried about how some NDIS planners are working.

An NDIS planner is someone who:

• makes new NDIS plans
• changes NDIS plans. 

An NDIS plan has information about:

• a participant and their goals
• what supports they need.

Participants are people with disability who take part in the NDIS.

Members said that some NDIS planners are calling participants to talk about their NDIS plans.

But these NDIS planners aren’t letting participants know before they call that they will be talking about their NDIS plans.

NDIS planners are also calling participants at bad times, when participants aren’t ready to talk about their NDIS plans.

It also means participants don’t get a chance to say they are okay to talk about their NDIS plans.

The NDIA said what these NDIS planners are doing is not okay.

The NDIA said participants should report this if it happens to them.

Participants can report this on the NDIS website.

www.ndis.gov.au/contact/feedback-and-complaints#make-an-enquiry-provide-feedback-or-raise-a-complaint

Reference Group members said they are worried about letters from the NDIA that talk about the checks to find out if someone can take part in the NDIS.

For example, if someone needs a report from a health care provider to prove they should be able to take part the NDIS.

Families need to pay for these checks.

And members shared it is hard for some families to pay for these checks.

The NDIA said they will work with the community to improve how they communicate about these checks.

Reference Group members said participants are worried about changes to support for music and art therapy.

The NDIA said participants can still use music and art therapy.

But there will be some changes from 1 February 2025.

Participants will need to choose how to use the money in their NDIS plans for music and art therapy.

Participants can choose from 2 different ways:

• $67.56 for one hour on their own

• $193.99 for one hour in a group of 4 or more participants.

Participants must also get music and art therapy from a registered provider.

A registered provider:

• can offer different supports and services than other providers
• have to follow more rules.

Members said not many people have been able to have their say on short term accommodation (STA).

Short term accommodation is an NDIS support that lets someone stay in a place for a short time.

Members said many young people use STA to help them move out of:

• home

• group homes – where people with disability live together and get support.

Members said STA supports participants to:

• do things by themselves

• make their own decisions

• keep good relationships with their families.