Coaching and Consultancy -- Occupational Therapy

New information has come to hand about the post-budget analysis of the impact on allied health (1Apr 2025). Occupational Therapy Australia response is available online.

There are changes with new Aged Care Legislation introduced 12/09/2024--implemented 1 July 2025. NDIS Legislative Reforms which came into effect on 3/10/2024. This was followed by announcement of the new Thriving Kids program by the Prime Minister, 20 August 2025 which affects children with autism and developmental delay (see Press Release).

Ongoing changes to the landscape of government funding requires consultancy and national population health approaches. 

Image used with approval Wikipedia Commons CC.

CONSULTANCY
Providing consultancy around Disability Access and Mobility is vital for people accessing schools, community, and public transport. Home modifications and universal design ensure that people can stay in their own homes longer. Sometimes methods of doing everyday tasks need to be modified in consultation with an Occupational Therapist that can provide coaching and advice on adaptations and assistive equipment. There are newly advertised government rebates on E-Bikes and E-Scooters. Occupational Therapist provide assessment and recommendations for mobility and travel safety.

AGED CARE
Occupational Therapy Australia provides information about Aged Care following new legislation: https://www.otaus.com.au/practice-support/areas-of-practice/working-with-older-people/aged-care-updates-and-media

OPAN has provided a video about 'What the new Aged Care Act Will Mean For You.'

Support at Home (changes to in-home Aged Care Packages)--Support at Home program | Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care

NDIS

Occupational Therapists are part of NDIS support provision for everyday activities that are needed because of the functional impact of an impairment that cannot be improved by evidence-based medical treatments. Occupational therapy includes functional assessments of people's abilities and therapy to help a person achieve their personal goals in areas. This may include assessment and therapy for skill development (modifying methods and training parents/carers; obtaining home modifications, and assessment, trial, application for assistive equipment. 

NDIS funded services cover such areas as: 
Schools are responsible for providing Occupational Therapy and Allied Health Services related to education. For example, Occupational Therapists help classroom teachers to provide adjustments to the curriculum for a student with a disability. Read more about NDIS advice on therapy: School and NDIS.

NDIS therapist funding assists participants to build skills and get a job after leaving school. Work experience is the responsibility of the school, while the student is enrolled there.

There may be a gap in services at the present time, due to recent legislative changes in NDIS. Parents/guardians may require evidence of student abilities, impairment, adjustments and support needs. Occupational Therapists provide support, coaching/consultancy during these uncertain times through NDIS, Medicare, and private health funding.

Please contact me if you require assessments, reports, consultancy, or workshops arranged. I am interested to learn more about what the aged care reforms and NDIS legislative changes will entail and how that will play out over the next few months. Let's encourage problem-solving around how to meet the needs of individual students, families, and school communities.


READ MORE:

New Tool to Deliver Simpler Pathway to Disability Supports--announced 25 Sept, 2025 for implementation in mid-2026. The NDIA has procured a license for a new needs assessment tool, known as the Instrument for Classification and Assessment of Support Needs (I-CAN) version 6. Read more

Changes in NDIS for autistic children and introduction of Thriving Kids (20 August 2025):

https://www.health.gov.au/ministers/the-hon-mark-butler-mp/media/speech-from-minister-butler-national-press-club-20-august-2025?language=en

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-08-20/ndis-growth-thriving-kids-autism-mark-butler/105675484 

https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/health/health-problems/tighten-the-criteria-autism-accounted-for-70-per-cent-of-new-ndis-participants-in-2024/news-story/739256aeefde04fb189c58b879501fdc 

NDIS Amendment Bill which came into effect 3 October 2024.

The NDIS Amendment Bill - questions and answers | Department of Social Services, Australian Government (dss.gov.au)

Supports funded by the NDIS | NDIS

NDIS Frequently Asked Questions

NDIS Making Life Harder for Disabled S. Simper, Independent Australia


Sandra Kirkwood
Occupational Therapist (Wynnum / Manly)

m. 0488 624 362

REFERENCES

Australian Government Press Release, 20 Aug 2025   https://www.health.gov.au/ministers/the-hon-mark-butler-mp/media/speech-from-minister-butler-national-press-club-20-august-2025?language=en

NDIS Amendment Bill Questions and Answers: https://www.dss.gov.au/disability-and-carers-programs-services-ndis-reforms/the-ndis-amendment-bill-questions-and-answers 

NDIS Building Skills and Getting a Job: https://www.ndis.gov.au/participants/finding-keeping-and-changing-jobs/building-skills-and-getting-job 

NDIS Frequently Asked Questions: https://www.dss.gov.au/disability-and-carers-programs-services-for-people-with-disability/national-disability-insurance-scheme-frequently-asked-questions

NDIS Guideline for Work and Study: https://ourguidelines.ndis.gov.au/supports-you-can-access-menu/social-and-community-participation/work-and-study-supports 

NDIS Guideline School Education: https://ourguidelines.ndis.gov.au/how-ndis-supports-work-menu/mainstream-and-community-supports/who-responsible-supports-you-need/school-education 

NDIS Supports funded by NDIS https://www.ndis.gov.au/understanding/supports-funded-ndis

NDIS Making Life Harder for Disabled. Siobhan Simper. Independent Australia. 2024, 9 October.  https://independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/parliamentary-changes-to-ndis-making-life-harder-for-disabled,19056

NDIS News (25 September 2025) New Tool to Deliver Simpler Pathway to Disability Supports. https://www.ndis.gov.au/news/10927-new-tool-deliver-simpler-pathway-disability-supports

ABC News 22 September 2024 Queensland Government Rebate on E-Bikes and Scooters.  https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-09-21/rebate-for-e-scooters-e-bikes-qld-government-pre-election/104378374

Occupational Therapy Australia Post-Budget Analysis (2025, 1 Apr). https://otaus.com.au/news/ota-post-budget-analysis-2025-26 

Occupational Therapy Australia Post-Budget Response (2025, 1 Apr). https://www.otaus.com.au/news/ota-federal-budget-response

Older Persons Advocacy Network (OPAN) video 'What the New Aged Care Act Will Mean for You.' https://vimeo.com/event/4807999 

Support at Home Program https://www.health.gov.au/our-work/support-at-home

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Medicare Occupational Therapy (Term 4)

Image
MEDICARE--OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY--1 Sept 2024 Medicare Benefits Schedule  is found on the Australian Government website. MBS benefits are subject to change--according to MBS Online Standard Search | Medicare Benefits Schedule (health.gov.au) Medicare (MBS) Telephone: 13 21 50  for further information Children with an Approved Disability (Complex Neurodev; ASD) with Doctor's referral: 82010 Assessment > 50 min duration (4 sessions permitted--same day): MBS Benefit: $85.20 82025 Therapy > 30 min duration (20 sessions in a lifetime for under 25s): MBS Benefit: $85.20 93036 Telehealth therapy 30+ min duration (4 sessions permitted--same day): MBS Benefit: $85.20 93033 C omplex neurodevelopmental disorder and approved disability telehealth services 30 min duration (4 sessions permitted--same day): MBS benefit  $85.20 93041 Complex neurodevelopmental disorder and approved disability telephone services 50 min duration (4 sessions permitted--same day):  MBS b...
Read more

The Drumley Walk: Promoting Health through Poems and Songs that Remember Yugambeh Aboriginal Leaders and Languages

Image
  Title:            The Drumley Walk: Promoting Health through Poems and Songs that Remember Yugambeh Aboriginal Leaders and Languages  (Presented at Gold Coast Health and Medical Research Conference, 2013)   Author:         Sandra Kirkwood B.Occ.Thy, B.Music, M.Phil. Director, Music Health Australia. Email: kirkwood13@bigpond.com   Key Words: Applied Ethnomusicology, Primary healthcare, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, cultural heritage, community development.   Abstract: The Drumley Walk is an annual three-day walking pilgrimage from Beaudesert, south of Brisbane, to Southport on the Gold Coast. The 65 kilometre journey follows the footsteps of Beaudesert Aboriginal identity Billy Drumley. In the early 1900s he trekked through farmland and bush to visit his sister Jenny Graham who lived at Southport with her many children and grandchildren. Rory O’Connor...
Read more

School Planning -- Therapy Set up 2025

Image
Therapist working in Schools 1984--2024  During the last 40 years, I have worked in schools in south-east Queensland as an Occupational Therapist and Music Instructor (piano). Looking back, I am developing a list of ideas that work well for therapists as we begin the new school year in 2025. This may inform the development of ad hoc therapy support services in schools.      Occupational Therapist   (CC Attribution)                                   Petrie Tce State School--1970  By 'ad hoc,' I mean therapy services provided indirectly to school students in schools--by a range of parent-controlled and community service groups. The funding can be sourced through NDIS, Medicare, private and health insurance or other non-government funds. There is a constellation of therapy services that operate within schools in various ways--with varying lev...
Read more