References and procedures to obtain NDIS funding for assistance animals.
Dear NDIA,
Research strongly supports the benefits of assistance animals for people with psychosocial disability.
I make this request for information related to ‘procedures and references to successful applications for assistance animals that are described as therapy, assistance or companion animals for people with psychosocial disability.’ I would particularly like examples of the correct wording to use to ensure success for funding. Please don’t send information on animals supporting people with vision impairment or epilepsy.
I would appreciate this information as soon as possible, preferably by the end of April, because the person in question has acquired a new puppy and would like to begin training as soon as possible for maximum benefit.
As an intervention measure to ameliorate the impacts of complex, rare neurological conditions, a service animal would be extremely beneficial. Unfortunately, the NDIA does not often understand complex, rare, neurological conditions and the parameters of assistance are very narrow and suited to typical, more common conditions.
Limitations imposed on people with disability to earning income are also very restrictive, meaning that opportunities to spend one’s own money on such an item are out of reach.
Yours faithfully,
Maree Kinniburgh
Thank you for contacting the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA).
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References
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1. https://www.ndis.gov.au/about-us/policie...
2. mailto:[NDIA request email]
3. https://www.ndis.gov.au/about-us/policie...
4. mailto:[email address]
5. mailto:[email address]
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Dear Maree Kinniburgh
Thank you for your request for information.
Please find attached correspondence in relation to your request. If you
require the attachment in a different format, please let us know.
We will process your request as quickly as possible. We will also keep in
regular contact with you, especially if there's any delay. At this stage,
you can expect to hear from us on or before 14 May 2021.
Please contact us at [1][NDIA request email] if you have any questions or
require help.
Kind regards
Freedom of Information Officer
Parliamentary, Ministerial & FOI Branch
Government Division
National Disability Insurance Agency
[2]Title: NDIS delivered by the National Disability Insurance Agency
References
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1. mailto:[NDIA request email]
Dear Maree Kinniburgh
Thank you for your request for information.
You have requested access to:
“…procedures and references to successful applications for assistance
animals that are described as therapy, assistance or companion animals for
people with psychosocial disability.’ I would particularly like examples
of the correct wording to use to ensure success for funding. Please don’t
send information on animals supporting people with vision impairment or
epilepsy.”
The Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act) provides a person a legally
enforceable right to obtain access to documents; however, the FOI Act does
not impose an obligation on a Commonwealth entity to provide documents
already in the public domain, or otherwise publicly accessible.
We have undertaken reasonable searches and identified that the documents
you are seeking are publicly available.
For your convenience, I have attached a document from the FOI disclosure
log which includes statistics related to the percentage of assistance
animals funded for people with a psychosocial condition listed as their
primary disability.
All decisions related to supports and funding must be made in accordance
with the reasonable and necessary criteria as defined in section 34 of
the [1]National Disability Insurance Scheme Act 2013 (the NDIS Act).
Information on how the NDIS assesses assistance animal requests and the
evidence participants are required to provide is available within the
publicly available Operational Guidelines:
· [2]Including Specific Types of Supports in Plan Operational
Guideline - Assistance Animals
As applications are assessed on their merit and on a case by case basis,
to be successful, applications for assistance animals must satisfy the
criteria set out in the NDIS Act and operational guidelines. Therefore
there is no set of ‘correct wording to use to ensure success for funding’
as described in your scope.
All successful applications for assistance animals have different wording
given they relate to the personal circumstances of the applicants.
Furthermore, the content of successful applications would be considered
personal information and exempt under the FOI Act under section 47. The
NDIA does not release personal information without express consent from
affected participants or persons.
Given the documents and information you are seeking are publicly
available, we are closing your request.
Please contact us at [3][NDIA request email] if you have any questions.
Kind regards
Freedom of Information Officer
Parliamentary, Ministerial and FOI Branch
Government Division
National Disability Insurance Agency
E: [4][NDIA request email]
[5]Title: NDIS delivered by the National Disability Insurance Agency
The NDIA acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout
Australia and their continuing connection to land, sea and community. We
pay our respects to them and their cultures and to Elders past, present
and emerging.
References
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1. https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C...
2. https://www.ndis.gov.au/about-us/operati...
3. mailto:[NDIA request email]
4. mailto:[NDIA request email]