A Message from Council to Homeless Persons (CHP)
The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) roll out has begun, with people in Barwon, North Eastern Melbourne, Central Highlands, and Loddon now able to access the scheme.
While this will deliver long-awaited services to many people, it may present challenges for people with disability who are also homeless.
During the NDIS trial in Barwon many people experiencing homelessness who also had complex mental health needs faced difficulties in having their needs met within the NDIS. These included people with complex mental health needs not:
- knowing about the scheme or
- acknowledging that they had a disability or being willing to access the scheme
- being able to negotiate the access requirements
- receiving or opening the correspondence critical to the application process
- being deemed eligible
- getting support that met their needs.
The trial also identified some great successes, with people better able to sustain their housing and having improved wellbeing when receiving NDIS supports.
As these issues are very important to our sector and to people experiencing homelessness, the Council to Homeless Persons commissioned a report to identify:
- How the sector can best support people to access the NDIS
- What needs to change to address gaps and barriers to access.
This report: Homelessness and the National Disability Insurance Scheme: challenges and solutions is available here for your information.