Capacity Building Supports budget: Improved Health & Wellbeing

Improved Health and Wellbeing (Health and Wellbeing under PACE) is a category of the wider Capacity Building budget designed to enhance your functional capacity through therapeutic sports and supports, exercise physiology, diet, and personal wellbeing activities.

Why is Improved Health and Wellbeing important?

Regardless of ability, our lifestyle choices can have an impact on our health. Many chronic diseases disproportionately impact people with disability in Australia; keeping active and following a healthy diet can help minimise your risk while improving your mental health, stamina, and overall wellbeing.

More than that, feeling better physically helps us feel better mentally. You may notice you have more confidence and greater independence in completing tasks that used to be more difficult.

Support services funded by Health and Wellbeing are focused on helping you build a healthier lifestyle. They act as prevention or forward-thinking measures, as much as they’re investments in building your immediate functional capacity.

Related: How to get NDIS support if you have a Psychosocial Disability

Types of Health and Wellbeing Supports

Exactly what your supports look like can vary, because the services and plans delivered are personalised to fit you. Your nutrition plan or exercise plan wouldn’t be the same as someone else’s, because you have your own unique needs and goals.

Note: The supports in this NDIS category must be delivered by the appropriate professionals, with the required accreditations.

Dietetics

This covers advice provided by a dietitian on managing your diet, to improve your health and wellbeing. A dietitian is an Accredited Practising Dietitian with the Dietitians Association of Australia.

Dietetics can include help with:

• Meal planning & diet advice
• Overcoming stress or anxiety around mealtimes
• Improving independence around getting the right nutrition
• Support and strategies if you have a disability that contributes to eating difficulties
• Management of food allergies and intolerances

Physical Wellbeing Activities

This covers working with an exercise physiologist or personal trainer to improve your independence, physical function, and overall health through exercise and movement. Physical wellbeing activities can also help reduce pain, improve your mobility, and support your mental wellbeing.

An exercise physiologist must be an appropriate professional, who is accredited with Exercise and Sports Science Australia. For personal training, your trainer must have a Certificate III, IV or Diploma in Fitness or equivalent.

Does Health and Wellbeing cover gym memberships?

No. While gym memberships can be a great tool, they aren’t specific to your disability needs. The NDIS considers them an everyday cost, which excludes them from being considered an NDIS Support. 

Similarly, though you may use this budget to pay for a consultation with a dietitian, you can’t use it to buy the healthy ingredients they recommend. Food is also classified as an everyday cost, not a disability-specific cost the NDIS would fund.

What’s an NDIS Support?

These are services, items and equipment that can be funded by the NDIS – meaning, these are what you could potentially purchase with your plan.

NDIS supports must be ‘reasonable and necessary’ in regards to managing your disability, and be considered a good investment for the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA).

You may have seen posts about ‘what’s in’ and ‘what’s out’ – this refers to updated lists about supports that are NDIS supports, and supports that are not NDIS supports. If you’re in doubt about whether something counts as being eligible for NDIS funding, it’s always best to double-check before purchasing.

Adding Improved Health & Wellbeing to your NDIS Plan

Firstly, you should check you definitely do not have this already in your Capacity Building budget. It can be tricky to keep track of all of the different support categories!

You can always go to the myplace portal and search for ‘Health & Wellbeing’ in your plan. If you’re a plan-managed participant, you can also ask your NDIS plan manager to check this for you – and if it’s in your plan already, your plan manager can tell you exactly how much funding you have remaining for these supports.

If you don’t have Improved Health & Wellbeing (and you think you need it), you can ask your Local Area Coordinator (LAC) or NDIS Planner. Remember it’s always best to come armed with evidence when requesting changes or additions to your NDIS Plan – a note from your GP, for example, can help show that you need these support services to live a healthier lifestyle.

Related: A Complete Guide on How to Apply for NDIS Funding

How Plan Management can help with Health & Wellbeing

Working with Plan Management specialists means it’s easy to see the financial aspects of your NDIS plan at a glance. Your plan manager can also track spending and provide reports to support your case for changes to your NDIS plan.

With plan management, you have more choice across NDIS registered and non-NDIS registered providers. You can also spend less time worrying about whether you are overspending, underspending, or whether your purchases are compliant with the often-confusing NDIS rules and categories.

NDSP: Your expert Plan Management team

Our dedicated team help NDIS participants to effectively manage your plan’s financial admin (like invoicing, budgeting, and record keeping). NDSP provides clear communication, facilitates prompt provider payment, and gives you oversight on all your budgets and spending through our user-friendly Nappa portal.

New to NDIS and not sure how it fits in your everyday life? We also have plenty of resources to help guide your NDIS journey with our free online Participant Toolbox.

If you have plan management approved in your NDIS plan, but you’re not sure where to start – or if you’re not satisfied with your current provider – why not contact NDSP today to find out how we make plan management easier. Our friendly team would love to hear from you.