The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) in Australia is undergoing a fundamental revision, with draft laws being drafted to establish how states offer ‘foundational supports’. These reforms stem from an NDIS review initiated last year, intended to assess the financial sustainability of the scheme and reduce the burden of specialist support costs.

There is a growing concern that the unavailability of accessible and mainstream services is thrusting more people with disabilities into the NDIS than originally intended. This is particularly noticeable among young individuals with autism and developmental delays, a significant proportion of whose demand is driven by the lack of support via mainstream services.

The NDIS was never intended to cater to all disabled people; in fact, about 86% of disabled Australians do not have NDIS schemes. These individuals depend on the same mainstream services as the rest of the population. However, many of these services are not accessible to people with disabilities.

With the introduction of the NDIS over a decade ago, states and territories have begun to withdraw from providing some services to people with disabilities. For instance, community care programs for individuals under 65 requiring less intensive disability support are both irregular and underfunded in various regions.

According to the NDIS review, the reform process will take up to five years to fully implement, with significant changes hinging on the establishment of foundational services outside the NDIS scheme. However, state and territory leaders are reportedly concerned about the reform’s rapid pace and extent and the potential for extra stress on their budgets.

In conclusion, establishing a robust system of foundational supports is of utmost importance for both the sustainability of the NDIS and all disabled Australians who are currently living without necessary support. It’s time state leaders, not to mention the community at large, started taking these steps seriously.

Should you wish to learn more about the NDIS scheme or have inquiries to make, the best way to contact SDI is by visiting their official website or calling their hotline. You might also want to check out resources on eddcaller.com for more information on disability support programs and services.