Mum’s NDIS fight for Charley
ITSELF – THE STRESS – ‘THE WHOLE PROCESS … IT’S INSANITY’ WAS ABSOLUTE NONSENSE
THE mum of a young Charlemont boy with autism says the National Disability Insurance Agency is “fighting the most vulnerable people in our society”.
Karah Broad says she fought the agency for years to secure funding for an assistance dog for her son Charley, 9, who became an National Disability Insurance Scheme participant in 2018.
Charley suffers with ADHD and anxiety but finds visiting the zoo enjoyable and has benefited from equine therapy.
Ms Broad says in early 2019 she applied to the NDIA for support for an assistance animal, but was rejected.
She said after exhausting the internal appeals process she took the case to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal.
Mediation sessions failed, she said, and a hearing was held across three days in early 2021, with Ms Broad helped by a barrister working pro bono.
“I couldn’t afford a barrister,” she said.
“The whole process itself – the stress – was absolute nonsense...it’sinsanity.”
She said health workers who treated Charley supported the bid for an assistance animal.
In December, she received confirmation the tribunal was satisfied that the provision of an assistance dog met “reasonable and necessary” criteria under the NDIS Act and should be included in Charley’s statement of participant supports in his NDIS plan.
Benefits of autism assistance dogs include emotional support and easing sensory overload.
Ms Broad said Charley needed the dog now.
Following the lengthy battle against the agency, she said Charley’s new plan was only approved in April, and he would likely have to wait at least another 18 months before one of the specially trained canines became available.
“(The NDIA) is fighting the most vulnerable people in our society, it’s incredibly disheartening,” she said.
Ms Broad and Charley have been represented by Villamanta Disability Rights Legal Service.
The service, based in Geelong, had seen an extraordinary increase in demand in the past six to eight months, principal solicitor Naomi Anderson said, driven by the NDIA making decisions to cut funding, or not to fund necessary items, that clients were contesting at the AAT.
“People are extremely distressed,” Ms Anderson said.
An NDIA spokeswoman said planning decisions continued to be made in accordance with the NDIS Act.
“The NDIA fully respects a participant’s right to request a review of any decisions made,” she said.
“The NDIA continues to work to improve the NDIS for participants, as well as their families and carers.
“Average payments per participant have increased by 10.8 per cent per annum over the last three years.
“NDIS participant plans can go up or down depending on an individual’s disability-related needs.
“The number of AAT cases in the March 2022 quarter equated to 1.24 per cent of active participants.”