Vision Australia recently took the opportunity to respond to the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) Rules consultation paper. The NDIS Rules are the legislative instruments that will guide assessment and eligibility for the scheme, the administrative functions of the National Disability Insurance Agency, and the regulation of registered service providers.
From Vision Australia’s perspective, the four priority issues to be addressed by the NDIS Rules are:
- Early intervention and support should be delivered by specialist agencies to ensure quality outcomes;
- People who have functional vision loss should not be excluded from becoming a participant on the basis of a medical diagnosis;
- Adequate recognition of functional vision loss disability and provision for continuity of supports avoids disadvantage;
- Service Providers are also able to be Participant Plan Management Providers.
Furthermore, Vision Australia argued that there may be merit in having applicants aged over 65 years assessed for NDIS eligibility and, where eligible, provided with funded NDIS support. Testing this in a launch site would assist in determining the sustainability of age restrictions in the longer term.
Read Vision Australia's submission on the NDIS Rules discussion paper