Support Needs Assessments: A Dangerous Gamble for NDIS Participants?

Support needs assessments are a dangerous gamble for NDIS participants

What if your essential disability supports were determined by an untested assessment process, with no way to challenge its accuracy?

This is the reality facing NDIS participants under the latest reforms.

The amended NDIS Act mandates support needs assessments for all participants. These assessments will determine reasonable and necessary support budgets, which will be stated in participant plans – some flexible, some fixed with no flexibility.

However, the Act fails to define the assessment tool or process, leaving critical questions unanswered.

Just before Christmas, the government announced an investment in 1,000 support needs assessors, with rollout set for September 2025. Yet, there has been no co-design of the assessment tool, no input from those with lived experience and no pilot testing before implementation.

The NDIA’s latest update on testing but key questions remain

On 5 February 2025, the NDIA announced that it is moving forward with the development of support needs assessment tools, with the process now officially underway.

This includes:

• A request for tender to develop support needs assessment tools for adults (16+)
• A request for information on how best to assess support needs for children and specific types of supports

The NDIA states that this approach will provide “better and fairer” budgets, reducing the burden on participants to source reports and evidence.

It has also acknowledged that the transition may take five years to ensure a smooth process.

While this announcement confirms that the process is in its early stages, it does not address the critical concerns raised by the sector:

• Who will design these assessment tools? Will clinicians, researchers and participants themselves be meaningfully involved?
• How will the assessment process work in practice? Will it include direct observation, or rely on standardised questionnaires?
• What safeguards will be in place to prevent underfunding?
• What role will existing health and allied health professionals play?

The NDIA has stated that it will “continue to talk with and listen to the disability community every step of the way.”

This is a step in the right direction, but without genuine co-design, transparency and independent scrutiny, the risk remains that these assessments will miss critical functional needs, leaving participants without the supports they require.

What does this mean for OTs?

Occupational Therapists have spent a decade refining functional assessment skills within the NDIS, determining support needs based on lived, observed and clinically assessed participant function.

If the role of OTs in this process is diminished, what happens to this invaluable expertise?

Will participants miss out on funding simply because a rigid, tick-box tool failed to capture their needs?

A better approach that leverages an experienced workforce

The OT Society Inc for Invisible Disability (OTSI) have developed an alternative model where support needs assessments are conducted by allied health professionals already known to participants.

This would involve:

? A nationally endorsed assessor program, allowing experienced clinicians to opt in

? Assessments conducted by professionals with deep knowledge of the participant’s functional needs

? Funding via Medicare to ensure accessibility and sustainability

This approach ensures greater accuracy, protects participants from inappropriate funding cuts and leverages existing expertise rather than sidelining it.

Why we need a pause and a plan that works

The NDIA and government must pause this rushed implementation and engage in genuine co-design with participants, clinicians and advocacy groups.

Without rigorous testing and refinement, this new assessment process risks undermining the very purpose of the NDIS – empowering people with disabilities to live fulfilling lives with the right support.

In next week’s newsletter, I’ll explore how the proposed OTSI model could work in practice.

But for now, we need action – transparency, consultation and a clear, evidence-based plan.

We owe it to the people who rely on the NDIS every day.

Stay tuned…

Are you new to learning about OTSI?

OTSI is a national society whose purpose is to enable Occupational Therapists who work alongside people with invisible disabilities, to reduce barriers to full participation in our world as active citizens of Australia.

Their focus is on ensuring access to resources, opportunities and supports for people of all ages with invisible disabilities, including access to Occupational Therapy.

OTSI has a strong voice in systemic advocacy and policy direction, as well as enabling individuals to build better lives.

More information on OTSI: https://otsi.net.au