The NDIS Evidence of Psychosocial Disability Form
The evidence of psychosocial disability form is an NDIA form your treating health professional can complete when you apply to the NDIS with a psychosocial disability. The NDIA needs a statement covering how long they've worked with you, your mental health condition, treatments tried and not tried with reasons, and how it affects everyday life, plus a functional capacity assessment. Download the current form from the NDIS website.
Who Can Complete the Form?
A treating health professional, ideally one who has worked with you for at least 6 months.
For psychosocial disability, the NDIA lists treating professionals such as a paediatrician, psychiatrist, GP or psychologist. It also accepts evidence from specialist health professionals, including clinical psychiatric staff such as mental health or psychiatric nurses, occupational therapists and social workers, mental health allied health professionals, and staff trained by the Australian Mental Health Outcomes and Classification Network (AMHOCN), including mental health peer workers.
The NDIA prefers a professional who has worked with you for a long time (usually at least 6 months), is the most appropriate type of professional for your impairment, and is registered in their field, for example with AHPRA.
What Does the Evidence Need to Cover?
Four things in the statement, and a functional capacity assessment.
| Part | What to include |
|---|---|
| Relationship | How long the professional has been working with you |
| Condition | Evidence of the mental health condition. A diagnosis is helpful, if available |
| Treatment | Treatments you've explored, and any you haven't tried, with reasons |
| Impact | How the condition affects your everyday life. A functional assessment may help |
| Functional capacity assessment | Can be done by your health professional, for example LSP-16, HoNOS or WHODAS |
Treatment matters because the NDIA checks whether an impairment is likely to be permanent after known, available, appropriate and evidence-based treatments. Explaining why a treatment hasn't been tried, or isn't suitable, helps the NDIA understand your situation.
Looking for a Recovery Coach?
We'll connect you with a registered provider of psychosocial recovery coaching, in person or online.
Is the Form the Only Way to Give Evidence?
No. The NDIA also accepts the supporting evidence form, section 2 of the access request form, existing reports, or a letter or email.
The form is a convenient way to make sure everything is covered, but your treating professional can give evidence in other formats. They can contact the NDIA if they need to discuss what to provide.
What Happens After You Apply?
The NDIA tells you the date it has to decide by, no more than 90 days after your application is complete.
If the NDIA needs more information, it will tell you what and by when, and you'll have at least 90 days to provide it. It then has 14 days to decide or ask again. If your situation is urgent, such as leaving hospital, let the NDIA know. If you're found eligible and become a participant, recovery coaching can be included in your plan if you have psychosocial support needs.
Questions People Ask
Where do I get the evidence of psychosocial disability form?
From the NDIS website, on the page about examples of disability evidence. It's available as a Word document and a PDF.
Can a mental health peer worker fill in the form?
The NDIA lists AMHOCN-trained mental health staff, including mental health peer workers, among the specialist professionals who can provide evidence.
Do I need a diagnosis?
A diagnosis is helpful if available, but the NDIA decides based on the impairment and its impact on daily life.
Keep Reading
- Psychosocial disability and the NDISCan you get the NDIS for mental health? How the NDIA decides eligibility for psychosocial disability, the evidence it needs, and what it does and doesn't fund.
- What is psychosocial disability?What psychosocial disability means, how it differs from a mental health diagnosis, examples of how it can affect daily life, and how the NDIS describes it.
- Getting recovery coaching in your planHow to get a psychosocial recovery coach in your NDIS plan: at planning, through a plan change, the evidence that helps, and what to do if the answer is no.
- What is a recovery coach?A psychosocial recovery coach is an NDIS-funded worker with mental health knowledge who helps you plan, build skills and coordinate supports.
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