How to Get Recovery Coaching in Your NDIS Plan
Tell your NDIA planner or partner at your planning meeting that you'd like a recovery coach, and explain what you'd want help with. The NDIA generally funds recovery coaching for people with psychosocial support needs. If you already have a plan without it, you can ask for a change using the plan variation or plan reassessment form, with evidence from your treating professionals.
How Do You Ask at a Planning Meeting?
Say you'd like a psychosocial recovery coach, and describe what you'd like help with and how your needs change over time.
- What you'd like a recovery coach to help with, such as finding supports, linking with services or getting back into work or study
- How your mental health affects your daily life, including during harder periods
- Who supports you now, and what's working or not
- Reports from your treating professionals, if you have recent ones
- Whether you'd prefer a recovery coach to a support coordinator. The NDIA recommends a recovery coach on its own for most people with psychosocial disability
Your NDIA planner or partner works out with you how many hours you need. Once the plan is approved, you choose a provider and the planner sends them a request for service.
What If Your Current Plan Doesn't Include It?
Ask for a change. A plan variation is for smaller changes; a plan reassessment is for significant, ongoing changes in your needs.
| Plan variation | Plan reassessment | |
|---|---|---|
| For | Smaller changes to your current plan | Significant and ongoing changes to your support needs |
| Form | Plan variation request form | Plan reassessment request form |
| Note | Some changes, like updating goals, can be made without a new plan | Only a participant, plan nominee or child representative can submit the form |
The NDIA says you must give evidence with the complete form, such as reports from treating health professionals, therapists or support workers. If the change is short term, you may be able to use your plan flexibly instead. Talk to your my NDIS contact or support coordinator.
Capacity building funding is stated, so you can't move money from other capacity building categories into recovery coaching. A plan change is the way to add it.
Looking for a Recovery Coach?
We'll connect you with a registered provider of psychosocial recovery coaching, in person or online.
What If the NDIA Says No?
Ask it to explain the decision, then ask for an internal review within 3 months.
Decisions to approve your plan, including the supports in it, are reviewable. Ask within 3 months of getting the decision, say what you expected and why, and include any new evidence. The NDIA aims to finish internal reviews within 60 days. Not every decision is reviewable; the NDIA gives budget reductions as an example of one that isn't.
Questions People Ask
Who decides if I get a recovery coach?
The NDIA, when it approves your plan. Your planner or NDIS partner works out the hours with you, based on your needs.
Can my support coordinator help me get a recovery coach?
Yes. The NDIA says you can speak to your support coordinator, or your NDIS planner or local area coordinator, about how to get a recovery coach.
How do I send a plan change request?
Through the NDIA's service hub, by mail, or in person at a local office, with the completed form and evidence.
Keep Reading
- Recovery coaching in the NDISHow NDIS recovery coaching works: which budget it comes from, how hours are set, the request for service, self, plan or agency managed, and getting started.
- 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.
- Recovery coach vs support coordinatorPsychosocial recovery coach vs support coordinator: what each does, qualifications, NDIS prices, and why the NDIA usually recommends one, not both.
- Evidence of psychosocial disability formThe NDIS evidence of psychosocial disability form explained: who can fill it in, what it must cover, functional assessments, and what happens after you apply.
- Finding a recovery coachHow to find a psychosocial recovery coach near you or online: where to look, what to have ready, and how to get matched with a registered NDIS provider.
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