The latest NDIS news - without the spin or jargon

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Hi Supporter,

Yesterday the National Disability Insurance Agency released a mountain of paper about the planned introduction of compulsory assessments to the NDIS.

And hiding amongst all those words was the news we kinda suspected all along – but is now laid bare for everyone to see.

So what did the information released by the NDIA say? [[link removed]]

First the good news – the introduction of the compulsory assessments has now been delayed by about six months. Why? To give the NDIA time to consult with people with disability, their families and the organisations that support them about these big changes.

But the not so good news - the NDIA have made it crystal clear they’re going full steam ahead with these compulsory assessments. This consultation process is not about finding out if you think they should happen, it’s a question of how you think they should work.

(But we’ve got some ideas about that – check out our website [[link removed]] for more on how you can get involved).

And that was not the worst of it. The information released also makes it clear that if these changes go ahead as planned, it will be the end of individualised planning as we know it in the NDIS.

These new assessments will now be THE way the NDIA will determine your NDIS plan and budget.

So if you think this won’t work for you (or your family member) NOW is the time to speak up and have your say [[link removed]].

Find out more and have your say [[link removed]]

This week we also found out that the legislation to introduce the NDIS Participant Service Guarantee and this new assessment process has also been delayed.

That legislation will now hit Parliament early next year – and is expected to be passed by the middle of the year.

That delay means there is still time – time for us all to speak out and say why these new tick-a-box assessments won’t work for us. And what we think should change.

The NDIA also released two papers this week about planned changes to the way the scheme supports very young children and their families.

You can find copies of all the papers on the NDIS website [[link removed]].

You can have your say in a few different ways.

You can use the form on the NDIS website to have your say.

Or you can tell us your story – and we will bundle up all your stories and send them through to the NDIA.

Either way NOW is the time to speak out.

If you're worried about what these compulsory assessments will mean for you (or your family member) there is no time to waste – you need to speak out now.

Have your say on the compulsory assessments now [[link removed]]

Before we sign off, we just wanted to say thank you. A very BIG thank you.

Thank you to everyone who wrote a letter to the Minister. Who sent an email. Who contacted their local MP. And who generously shared their story with us.

The delay, these papers, the consultation process is all because of YOU.

You did this.

There was NO consultation planned – and now it has happened.

But this is only the first step. Given what is revealed in the papers released this week it is more important than ever that we speak out.

This is our NDIS. We fought for it. And we won’t stop fighting until it works the way it should.

Thank you again for everything that you do.

Kirsten and the Every Australian Counts team

P.S. You can read more about the newly released NDIA papers and what they mean on our website [[link removed]]

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