The National Disability Insurance Scheme and people with severe and persistent mental illness/psychosocial disability: A review, analysis and synthesis of published literature

Abstract

Objectives: The aim of this scoping review was to map and synthesise peer-reviewed literature reporting on the Australian National Disability Insurance Scheme and psychosocial disability. Method: The review followed the rigorous and systematic protocol of Arksey and O’Malley. Five databases were searched and, using strict inclusion and exclusion criteria, publications were identified for inclusion. Data were extracted from publications, tabulated and graphically presented. A qualitative analysis was also completed. Results: Twenty-eight publications were included. While a wide range of issues were covered across this literature, only eight publications specifically focused on the National Disability Insurance Scheme. Almost half of publications were only author commentary without analysis of external data. There were no evaluations and a paucity of publications documenting the lived experiences of people with psychosocial disability or their families. Qualitative analysis identified 59 separate themes. These were grouped using a modified strengths, weakness, opportunities and threats framework. While it was acknowledged that the Scheme has the capacity to enrich people’s lives and enhance service integration, themes relating to weakness and threats dominated within this literature. These included a variety of existing or predicted problems such as poor integration of a recovery philosophy into the National Disability Insurance Scheme, complex application processes creating barriers to access, concern for those ineligible or not accessing the National Disability Insurance Scheme, the need to ensure National Disability Insurance Scheme plans address specific, changing participant needs and that services will be available to provide required supports. Conclusion: Given the significant impact of the National Disability Insurance Scheme on the lives of individuals and the wider mental health service system, there continues to be surprisingly limited peer-reviewed literature reporting on experiences and outcomes of the Scheme for people living with psychosocial disability. Future research examining outcomes and shedding light on National Disability Insurance Scheme experiences of people with psychosocial disability and their families are particularly important for ongoing development and evaluation of the Scheme.

Young carers and educational engagement: Quantitative analysis of bursary applications in Australia

“…Despite Australia's significant investment in the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), which aims to increase the supports provided to people with disability to ensure that their needs are met (Cortese et al., 2020), our findings demonstrate that many young carers continue to provide significant levels of support, with consequences for their health and educational outcomes. This finding is congruent with findings of research with other family carers engaging with the NDIS who have reported a moderate increase in supports but greater challenges in accessing and coordinating assistance (Hamilton et al, 2020).…”

NDIS Participants with Psychosocial Disabilities and Life-Limiting Diagnoses: A Scoping Review

“…However, there has been significant, cogent discourse in the mental health community about the appropriateness of the NDIS for Australians living with mental illness. Most notably, it was found that there has been further fragmentation of the support systems experienced by people with SPMI [ 37 ].…”

“…The reallocation of resources to the NDIS has reduced funding in the community mental health systems around the country to varying degrees [ 34 ]. Secondary losses include loss of qualified staff and rural and remote programs, a casualised workforce, and hybrid providers that provide NDIS and fund other mental health supports, resulting in streamlining and loss of supports offered [ 37 ].…”

“…The NDIA has struggled to effectively support NDIS participants with psychosocial disabilities [ 1 , 34 ]. The literature identifies issues such as the inability to plan around fluctuating conditions, and the dichotomy of the disability model and deficits-based language with the recovery model and its associated terminology used by the mental health systems [ 34 , 37 ]. Systemic power imbalances cultivated within the NDIA continue through to the service delivery landscape.…”

Post-diagnosis young-onset dementia care in the National Disability Insurance Scheme

“…Our data suggest that NDIS applications for a small group of people with YOD are being rejected based on a lack of knowledge among assessors or because impairments are deemed insufficiently severe to meet the criteria for disability. Difficulty meeting the NDIS eligibility requirements has been documented by other groups including those with mild intellectual disability and psychosocial disability (Hamilton et al, 2020; O’Connor, 2014).…”