The NDIA has released several resources to give participants, providers and assessors clearer guidelines about assistance animals funding requests.
The NDIA has updated an Operational Guideline to include information about Assistance Animals.
The ‘Including Specific Types of Supports in Plans’ Operational Guideline now includes a section on assistance animals. This information will help explain what supporting evidence planners need when considering funding requests for assistance animals. There are also clear definitions and examples of assistance animals for participants, providers and assessors.
There is also a new Assistance Animals assessment template, which will improve the quality of requests from participants, assessors and providers.
These important changes were informed from a La Trobe University report called ‘Key terms for animals in disability assistance roles’, available on the NDIS website.
Participants now have clear guidelines on evidence needed to support a request for an assistance animal. The new Operational Guideline and the supporting assessment template will improve the quality of requests from assessors and participants, and providers.