Topic Tuesday// NDIS, Disability & Mental Health// Tues 31st January 2023 5:30-7:00PM

[Sanity23]

Joining, hopefully!

[chibam]

---

@Former-Member wrote:

@chibam 

Its a bitch interchangeable - essential a mental health issue or mental illness as you have termed it is the diagnosis, e.g. Major Depressive Disorder. The psycho-social disability comes from the impairment of such a diagnosis. The NDIS will be looking at the impairment from the diagnosis when considering assistance. 

---

Yeah, the confusion surrounding these terms often makes me want to swear, too. 😉

So, as I've come to understand, it all hinges on having a "mental health issue"/"mental illness" as the root cause.

This sort of leaves a major gap, doesn't it, for people who need help, but who's problems don't originate in a "mental health problem".

[greenspace]

@MyLife_MyWay wow, that is a lot of effort to not even get onto a waiting list! Shows how much demand there is for advocacy. I wonder if contacting your local federal MP would help?

[amber22]

Welcome! @Sanity23 

[tired_sisyphus]

---

@chibam wrote:

---

@Former-Member wrote:

@chibam 

Its a bitch interchangeable - essential a mental health issue or mental illness as you have termed it is the diagnosis, e.g. Major Depressive Disorder. The psycho-social disability comes from the impairment of such a diagnosis. The NDIS will be looking at the impairment from the diagnosis when considering assistance. 

---

Yeah, the confusion surrounding these terms often makes me want to swear, too. 😉

So, as I've come to understand, it all hinges on having a "mental health issue"/"mental illness" as the root cause.

This sort of leaves a major gap, doesn't it, for people who need help, but who's problems don't originate in a "mental health problem".

---

This is where I'm getting caught up too. I take it that diagnosis is a prerequisite?

[NBB]

Q: Is it true that one needs to be medicated for a MH issue to be considered eligible???

[Former-Member]

@AuDHDpug 

Hello, 
Support coordinators are given once funding is approved based off needs - regardsing access i'd recommend finding a good GP to begin with and working with any specialists that are in the mix. 

[JaneyC]

Good evening, everyone. no not NDIS just wasn't sure if I was in right place, but I am and happy to be here, tx

[7cough9]

@AuDHDpug  I am also ASD and ADHD, but I got onto the NDIS initially care of a diagnosis of chronic depression aka psychosocial disability. Which itself is largely internalised stigma - being down on myself about my limitations and persistent failures. I expect lots of people with ASD or ADHD have secondary problems like that.

In the three years I have been on the NDIS funding gave me access to funding for a more appropriate and experienced psychologist, whose assessment tests and reports enabled me to get a faster diagnosis from a psychiatrist when I eventually found one who could take me on for widely spaced telehealth appointments. The added diagnosis got me a little more funding which I have used mostly for a support worker who serves as a peer mentor pushing me to change behaviours and approaches  and to maintain changes.

The most satisfying services I used were social enterprises programs that give me access to volunteer work and then potentially transitional employment, that should  make me feel more useful and self-efficacious. 

[greenspace]

Hi @NBB, fellow queer person here 👋 I hope you get work as a therapeutic arts counsellor, we need more access to creativity therapy!