The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is a new way of providing community linking and individualised support for people living with a disability, and people with severe and persistent mental health conditions in limited circumstances.

The NDIS will deliver a life-long approach to support people with disability through an individualised planning processes. The NDIS funds reasonable and necessary supports that help a participant to reach their goals, objectives and aspirations and to undertake activities to enable their social and economic participation.

A participant’s reasonable and necessary supports take into account any informal supports already available to them (informal arrangements that are part of family life or natural connections with friends and community services) as well as other formal supports such as health and education.

These supports will help participants to:

• Pursue their goals, objectives and aspirations
• Increase their independence
• Increase social and economic participation, and
• Develop their capacity to actively take part in the community.