We are committed to improving the lives of people living with psychosocial disability.
We can help you to access support to:
- improve your functional capacity to carry out everyday tasks
- increase your independence
- be more involved in your community
- participate in social, work and study life.
We can help you connect with other health and community supports.
Eligible people can apply for NDIS funded supports.
Support for people with mental health conditions and psychosocial disability
Where to go if you require immediate mental health support outside the NDIS
If you or someone you know need support, the services listed on the Family violence and mental health support page may be able to help.
For emergencies call triple zero (000).
Making community connections
If you need support for your psychosocial disability or mental health condition, first consider talking to a local area coordinator about community connections.
Community connections can include things like help to access information, talking about how to access mainstream and community supports, or help to apply to the NDIS.
You don’t have to apply to or be eligible for the NDIS to get community connections.
People aged 9-64 with disability or mental health conditions and NDIS participants can access community connections through NDIS local area coordinators.
They will help you learn about and access the supports available in your community.
The factsheet below explains the services that are available if you cannot access the NDIS.
- Psychosocial Disability Access Factsheet 5: NDIS and other services supporting your mental health (PDF 201KB)
- Psychosocial Disability Access Factsheet 5: NDIS and other services supporting your mental health (DOCX 297KB)
Psychosocial support in the NDIS
While everyone living with a mental health condition may be impacted by their condition, not everyone who has a mental health condition will experience psychosocial disability.
The NDIS funds supports for people with psychosocial disability who are eligible to become participants in the NDIS.
These resources provide an overview of the support the NDIS can provide:
- NDIS access for people with psychosocial disability (PDF 220KB)
- NDIS access for people with psychosocial disability (DOCX 298KB)
- Psychosocial Disability Access Factsheet 1: General Information (PDF 267KB)
- Psychosocial Disability Access Factsheet 1: General Information (DOCX 301KB)
If you have a psychosocial disability and support needs related to that, you may be eligible for an NDIS plan.
The NDIS funds psychosocial supports that focus on improving functional ability and social and economic participation.
The NDIS can fund supports that help with:
- participating in community and social activities
- building greater independence
- gaining access to new skills or jobs, or volunteering in your community
- socialising, social skills and relationships
- improving your quality of life.
The following factsheet explains how the NDIS can support you in your recovery journey.
- Psychosocial Disability Access Factsheet 3: Lifetime support and recovery for psychosocial disability in the NDIS (PDF 204KB)
- Psychosocial Disability Access Factsheet 3: Lifetime support and recovery for psychosocial disability in the NDIS (DOCX 290KB)
We have answered some common questions about NDIS access on the Applying to the NDIS for people with psychosocial disability page.
Information for health professionals, service providers and supporters
We have resources to help general practitioners, mental health professionals, recovery coaches and support workers in:
- supporting a person’s application for the NDIS
- providing support to a participant.
We also have information to support families, carers, plan nominees and child representatives.
NDIS Psychosocial Disability Recovery-Oriented Framework
The NDIS Psychosocial Disability Recovery-Oriented Framework guides us in better supporting participants living with psychosocial disability, their families and carers.
The NDIA wants all people with psychosocial disability in the NDIS to be supported in their personal recovery and to live a life that has meaning for them.
They will have access to supports that improve social and economic participation.
Psychosocial disability and the NDIS Review
The Independent NDIS Review was released on 7 December 2023. It recommends a new approach to better meet the support needs of people with psychosocial disability and mental health conditions that focuses on personal recovery.
We will take the time to carefully consider all recommendations.
Contact us
You can contact your local area coordinator if you would like to speak to someone regarding an NDIS access request.
You can also contact your local NDIS office.