Understanding the NDIS Therapeutic Services Funding

In this article we’ll find out what therapies are covered by the NDIS, how to access the funding and find the right therapist for your NDIS journey. 

What types of therapeutic services are funded by the NDIS?

The NDIS funds a wide range of therapies. Some you may recognise and know well, for example, physiotherapy, while some you might not have come across before, for example, dance therapy. Regardless of their format, therapeutic services have one thing in common, they’re designed to help you achieve your NDIS goals. 

Below are some examples of therapies many NDIS participants benefit from:

• Occupational therapy (OT) - can help you build skills and strength to perform daily tasks and activities, for example, self care, cooking or socialising. Occupational therapists can also provide written assessments needed for purchasing assistive technology, moving into Specialist Disability Accommodation or receiving Supported Independent Living funding. 
• Physiotherapy - can help you restore or maintain your strength and mobility, assist with injuries or chronic pain management and provide recommendations for any mobility aids or assistive equipment. 
• Speech therapy - can help you with  communication difficulties, including speech, language or fluency or address any swallowing difficulties. 
• Psychology - can help you to understand and manage your thoughts, emotions, behaviours and relationships to support your overall mental wellbeing.
• Dietetics - can help you understand your nutritional needs and requirements, provide suggestions and guidance with meal planning and share useful healthy eating tips.
• Exercise physiology - can help you improve your physical wellbeing, building strength, flexibility and endurance with the use of tailor made exercise programmes. 
• Social work - can help you navigate your local community services, support you with any personal or family matters and assist with managing certain aspects of your life, for example, entering employment or finding suitable accommodation. 
• Music therapy - can help boost your mood, reduce the feeling of anger or frustration as well as provide a great environment to exercise social skills, meet new people and make connections.
• Art therapy - can help you improve your mental wellbeing by expressing your feelings and emotions through various forms of art, fostering self awareness and reflection.
• Equine therapy - can help you improve both emotional and physical wellbeing through engaging in various activities with horses, for example, grooming, feeding or riding.

How can I access therapy through the NDIS?

All therapeutic services are considered Capacity Building supports. They’re split into three distinct category buckets, each with own maximum price limits:

1. Improved Daily Living (category 15) - covers therapies that aim to improve your daily living skills, for example, speech therapy or occupational therapy.
2. Improved Health and Wellbeing (category 12) - covers therapies that focus on increasing your physical strength, mobility and overall wellbeing, for example, dietetics or exercise physiology.
3. Improved Relationships (category 11) - covers therapies that are designed to improve your abilities to socialise and interact with others, for example, psychology.

All NDIS participants who receive funding in the above budget categories are eligible for therapy services. However, as with all NDIS supports, your therapy must be deemed reasonable and necessary in order to justify the funding. This means that the reason for therapy should be directly related to your disability while the expected therapy outcomes should align with your NDIS plan goals. 

How can I find the right therapist?

Finding the right therapist can make a big difference in terms of your therapy outcomes so it’s worth taking your time exploring different options, taking into consideration a number of factors such as qualifications, location and pricing. Your Support Coordinator or Local Area Coordinator can be a helpful resource to guide you or you can use one of many online directories to find specialists in your local area.