It can be hard to know who is who in the NDIS world.
We get asked regularly if we as Plan Managers do the same thing as a Support Coordinator. The answer is no, Support Coordinators and Plan Managers each have a completely different role in assisting NDIS participants.
The key to a hassle free NDIS journey is finding both a Support Coordinator and a Plan Manager that suit your needs, but also work together in providing you the very best support.
Here at Budgetnet, we offer our participant’s Support Coordinator’s access to an online portal, where they can view the details needed to ensure you reach the goals set out in your NDIS plan.
What is Support Coordination?
The role of a Support Coordinator is to assist you in implementing your NDIS plan. That means; linking you in with quality providers that suit your needs, ensuring service agreements are in place, considering how to best use your funding in a way that will lead to reaching the goals you set out in your plan.
Support Coordinators do not pay your providers, they instead help you navigate your plan- explaining how to use your funding and what’s available to you to reach your plan goals.
What is Plan Management?
The role of a Plan Manager is to pay your NDIS bills on your behalf. When receiving your NDIS plan you will decide on how you want to manage your plan. Selecting either Agency Managed (funds are booked and paid for by the NDIS directly), Self-Managed (bills are paid and all records kept by you), or Plan Managed (A provider like BudgetNet takes care of all bill processing and record keeping on your behalf). Take a look at the benefits of being Plan Managed.
Now that you know the difference between a Support Coordinator and a Plan Manager you may want to know if you need to have both?
This simply depends on your needs. If you have never had an NDIS plan before, having a Support Coordinator can assist you in understanding the in’s and out’s, ensuring you make the most of the services available to you. As a first time participant, requesting your funds be Plan Managed is a great way to add even more support to make your journey as easy as possible. Our team is available to answer your questions, having someone to talk to specifically about your NDIS funding can be very helpful for participants and their families.
At the same time, you may have been an NDIS participant for a while now, however, engaging with new providers might be a focus for you throughout this plan period. In which case, having both a Support Coordinator to assist you in finding a suitable fit as well as an experienced Plan Manager to focus on paying those providers once you’ve started receiving supports is important.
Ensure you discuss how you wish to manage your plan with your planner/LAC/ECEI coordinator. They will also decide if Support Coordination will be added to the plan, depending on whether they feel it is reasonable and necessary based on your individual circumstance.
Finally, let’s do a quick recap of the difference between a Plan Manager and a Support Coordinator:
A Plan Manager will:
- Pay your providers using your NDIS funding
- Send you regular updates on available funds in your plan
- Provide you with ongoing support- our expert team is here to help!
A Plan Manager does not:
X Contact new providers on your behalf and set up meetings/service agreements
A Support Coordinator will:
- Connect you with suitable providers
- Help you reach the goals set out in your plan
- Assist with reporting for new plans
A Support Coordinator does not:
X Pay your provider invoices on your behalf
Remember, you can access both a Plan Manager and a Support Coordinator, however, it will depend on what the NDIS has included in your plan funding.
Plan Management will be deducted from your Capacity Building funding within the Improved Life Choices category. Learn more about the cost of being Plan Managed.
Support Coordination also falls within the Capacity Building category under Support Coordination. Your decision on how you manage your plan has no effect on the funding of Support Coordination.
If you are considering Plan Management or wanting to change Plan Managers get in touch with our experienced team.
Call us on 1300 402 568 or email [email protected]. With a simple sign up process we can take care of your funding and ensure you get the most from your plan within 24 hours.