The Australian Psychological Society (APS) provided a submission to the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing and the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) on the NDIS Support Coordination and Connection (SCC) Reform Consultation Paper.
Our submission supports the reform’s overall aims but calls for psychological expertise and insights to be built into the design of the new service. The APS submission made the following key points:
- SCC is a psychologically informed practice. Participants who need SCC and SCC+ have psychological, relational and situational needs, not only administrative ones.
- Psychologists should have a defined role. This includes leading SCC organisations and supervising and consulting to the wider SCC workforce, extending psychological expertise across a much larger workforce.
- Professional practice governance should be a condition of commissioning. Commissioned organisations should demonstrate psychologist-led leadership, regular supervision, access to specialised advice and multidisciplinary case review, all funded within the payment model.
- Independence and proportionate regulation are essential. SCC organisations should be separate from direct service provision, and requirements should focus on workers who are not already regulated, avoiding duplication for psychologists.
- Continuity of relationships must be protected through the reform process. Trusted relationships established through existing support coordination services must be protected through this transition period.
The APS is ready to partner with the Department and the NDIA on the development of governance, supervision and workforce capability frameworks for SCC.
We thank members of the APS NDIS Working Group who contributed their expertise to this submission.
View submission