Simplify Planning

13/11/2025

10/11/2025

https://consultations.health.gov.au/disability-and-carers-group/consultation-on-national-carers-strategy-actions-1/

The site lists consultations that are run by the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing. On this site you can find, share or take part in consultations.

05/11/2025

Ok, feeling ready to dive really deep into the new Operational Guidelines for Short Term Accommodation/Respite?

We would say it's deep enough to need a life jacket, but the NDIA has made it clear that boats are considered too much fun to be permitted.

In this article, we’ve pulled out everything you need to know from the new OGs, including:

➡️The new (and far more restrictive) eligibility criteria for adults and children
➡️The rules about how STR funding can be spent (including a rather odd focus on accommodation being STATIONARY)
➡️Getting STR funding into a plan
➡️The frankly baffling calculation for determining the level of support
➡️And, of course, what’s going on with the name.

One thing that’s clear about the new OGs, is that there is a far greater emphasis on informal supports providing a significant amount of support to people with disability. To qualify for STR, a person must receive at least 6 hours of support per day from their primary informal supporters. That equates to 42 hours a week- four hours less than what is considered a full-time job.

The name change too isn’t just symbolic. The new OGs have removed suggestions that STR could be used as a way for people with disability to learn more skills and build their independence. The focus is on giving people with disability and their primary supporters time away from each other.

You can read our full article here: https://teamdsc.com.au/resources/new-guidelines-for-the-artist-formerly-known-as-short-term-accommodation

28/10/2025

🤝 Do you love someone with disability and worry what will happen if you suddenly weren’t around?
❔ You probably have a BUNCH of questions about what that future care, home, money and a support team would look like. And failing to plan, is planning to fail!

📆 It might be super hard to start planning for the inevitable, but you can make a start with our LAST Drop Dead live session of the year on Tuesday 11 November.

👩‍🏫 This Resource Kit and live workshop will help you with putting into place:

1. 📝 Safeguards – for education, community, law and service provider purposes.

2. 👭 A support circle or microboard – with people like your neighbours, friends, family, doctor and therapists, support coordinator, support workers and important others.

3. 🚨 An emergency plan – for health crises, natural disasters or if a main carer can’t be there.

4. 🙋 An ‘About Me’ document – with likes/dislikes, communication needs, health info and important people in their life.

5. 🏠 Future housing and financial plans – even if it feels early, it is better to get your wishes down on paper together.

6. ✨ End-of-life wishes – advance care directives for you AND the person you love (something that is so important even while you are still alive and kicking!)

📂 We cover all of this and more with our Resource Kit that you can start using straight away.

📍 Live online session details:

- 📆 Tuesday 11 November

- 🕓 9:30am – 11:30am (SA Time)

💰 Cost: $168.90 (you can choose the best fit line item/support category for your invoice)

📩 You can send the invoice to your plan manager for payment or reimbursement, or claim as a self-manager if it is in line with your plan.

⚠️ Remember: having no plan is a plan...for things to go wrong!

🔗 For more info and to book, visit our Kits & Workshops tab on our website (we will also put the link in the comments).

Pic desc: A black poster with a cartoon tombstone to the left. The tombstone is named ‘Family Carer’ and has a skeletal hand sticking out of the dirt holding a checklist roster. White text on the right reads ‘Drop Dead Prep, Steps to prepare for the inevitable because you can’t run everything forever'. Sam Paior's cartoon is in the bottom right corner.

24/10/2025

Love this!! https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1D3Q6tDdNw/?mibextid=wwXIfr

02/10/2025

The Australian Government is reviewing the Disability Discrimination Act. They want to make sure it is working to protect people with disability.

This review is a response to recommendations made by the Disability Royal Commission.

The Government is asking for everyone’s views to make sure all voices are heard.

You can make a submission or complete a community survey.

Find out more, including Easy Read information here: https://consultations.ag.gov.au/rights-and-protections/dda-issues-paper/

Consultation is open until 24 October 2025.

01/10/2025

https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fneurokindred.com%2Fthrivingautistically25%2F%3Ffbclid%3DIwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR43Z-kdCV5yQJt2qc9u5ARo7elXzpWlmPxsZRYIqOuZHB4BFmH74PiedHQTbw_aem_f60T8L5R9cjUg_3uafPt1A&h=AT39ly67nkgU_y38kKW0ZZe7xBtrjPmpC8A-E1DtHotmHgnp1XoeDa1wkhl9IBEermyu5xegn52rAXIrs61ZVXnNPaIygSuMUhwmYfMR2WvRLPaZTub4Yam-J5W_MWn26jTx3AA&__tn__=H-R&c[0]=AT3z5pMs8ZPLDI-sHGXnD3yjKwhtDVFKL0zOxup2I6zXU3ZFfrFb4jYP2XKLnhyDoi_qbbDZ4YRoodlf1sls2dFzHRQizOU0gNE-aaTGA66ZWBbyBtl4B8GF_UEyFFHZWkqJQzsFqURkif9iiM6IRNvlwNcB3f8Q-vraq4nk4KF3Swi2yjminPXCEAUpdzVjWbYHKJ4UCNbEfGYormyUCA25ixffeNC_Jg

Thriving Autistically An Online Wellbeing Event for Autistic Adults​ Saturday 4th October-Friday 10th October (All times Brisbane-AEST) Thriving Autistically is Neurokindred’s annual online Autistic wellbeing event designed to celebrate all the beautiful & unique ways we support ourselves when w...

25/09/2025

https://teamdsc.com.au/resources/needs-assessment-tool-selected?utm_source=Klaviyo&utm_medium=campaign&_kx=WnjVoAbh4dHbVoua5cnbk1K4nMGEpe4lisFNjLa0Fs05jBJ3KC7cYsp5lLbArpEq.X8eRsJ

Today, we learned that the NDIA has licensed the I-CAN tool for needs assessments. Sara explores what an I-CAN assessment looks like and how it will be used to develop NDIS Plans.

24/09/2025

NEWS: from the Sydney Morning Herald
“Family doctors out, government
assessments in to determine NDIS support”

🔁 EasySnap of news article:
🧑‍⚕️ Changes to NDIS Support

🏥 Family doctors will not give reports now.

📝 The government will do interviews instead.

💰 This will help save money for people.

🗓️ From mid-2026, new rules will start.

👦 All people aged 16 and older will have interviews.

⏰ The interview can take up to 3 hours.

❓ The interview will have many questions.

🏠 The questions will ask about daily life needs.

🦽 The questions will cover 12 life areas.

🗣️ These areas include moving, talking, and self-care.

💪 They also include health and home life.

👩‍💼 A trained person will do the interview.

🤖 A computer will not do the interview.

🧩 Some people will get extra checks if needed.

🇦🇺 The tool used is made in Australia.

🏫 The University of Melbourne helped make the tool.

🧑‍🦽 The tool is called I-CAN.

🔄 The tool will help make NDIS fair and easy.

👥 The NDIS helps 740,000 people.

💸 Some people cannot pay for big doctor reports.

📄 The agency cannot read many long reports.

🕒 Getting reports can take a long time.

💵 Getting reports can cost a lot of money.

🆕 The new way will be better for people.

🖥️ The new way uses new technology.

🇦🇺 The new way will help people with disability in Australia.

Hard words:
🧑‍⚕️ assessors - People who ask questions and check needs.
🧩 complex - Hard or has many parts.
🧑‍🦽 NDIS - National Disability Insurance Scheme. Helps people with disability.
🧑‍🦽 participants - People who use the NDIS.
🧑‍⚕️ allied health professionals - People who help with health, not doctors.
🧑‍⚕️ agency - A group that runs the NDIS.
🧑‍⚕️ procured - Got or bought.
🧑‍⚕️ refined - Made better over time.
🧑‍⚕️ disadvantaged - Not having the same help as others.

EasySnap with Make it easy! www.MakeItEasy.com.au

23/09/2025

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1215919850574959&id=100064708655029

The NDIS can be hard to navigate - whether you're applying, dealing with a review, or just trying to find the right support.
We’ve pulled together all the tools, contacts and templates in one place to help make the process clearer and easier.
You’ll find:
✔️ Advocacy and complaints support
✔️ Carer and family info
✔️ Trusted service directories
✔️ MP contact tools and email templates
✔️ Mental health helplines and more
This resource is built for our community - and we’ll keep adding to it. If you know something that should be there, let us know.
📌 Take a look, share and save it for later: https://everyaustraliancounts.com.au/what-is-the-ndis/resources-to-support/

[Image description: Stacked sheets of white paper on a red background. The top sheet contains bold text that reads: "All the NDIS tools you need, in one place. Explore the EAC resource hub." The Every Australian Counts logo appears above the text.]