Applying to the NDIS for people with psychosocial disability

We have answered some commonly asked questions about the NDIS and what support you can get for your mental health condition or psychosocial disability.

If you do not have a community connections plan, you can start by talking to your nearest local area coordinator who can create a plan with you and help you connect to mental health services in your area. You can discuss which type of support best suits your needs.

If you already have a community connections plan set up and you think you may be eligible for the NDIS, you can talk to your local area coordinator who can help you apply.

If you already receive mental health services, you can talk to your current service providers, treating professionals, and informal supports about what type of supports best suit your needs.

We recognise that mental health conditions are often episodic and fluctuating. This means they may change over time.

People with psychosocial disability and episodic and fluctuating conditions can still access the NDIS.

You must still meet all the requirements to become an NDIS participant set out in the NDIS Act.

We need evidence that the impairment caused by the mental health condition is likely to remain across your lifetime.

However, this does not reflect on whether you have achieved your best possible version of personal and emotional wellbeing.

You may have periods in your life where your psychosocial disability has a smaller impact on your daily life.

This could be because your impairment is episodic or fluctuates in intensity.

But you can still give us evidence that your impairment is likely to be permanent due to the overall impact on your life, and the likeliness that it will impact you across your lifetime.

These factsheets describe what we mean by permanence, impairment and functional capacity for people with psychosocial disability:

To apply for the NDIS you can contact your nearest local area coordinator or local NDIS office.

They can help you through the application process and be a point of contact.

Visit Applying to the NDIS for more information.

If you live with a psychosocial disability and think you are eligible for the NDIS, you can:

1. Speak to your local area coordinator.

2. Download and complete the Evidence of Psychosocial Disability form. Please note, the below is an updated version of the original form and was released in April 2024. The original version is still valid, and you can still use it if you have a copy:

3. Work with your general practitioner, allied health and specialist medical professional/s to prepare and provide the information required.

The Evidence of Psychosocial Disability form is the preferred form for applicants with psychosocial disability.

Everyone who applies to the NDIS must meet the eligibility criteria set out in the NDIS Act .

The following factsheet has more information about providing evidence for eligibility: