Step 3 – If I do not meet the access requirements, what can I do?

If you receive a letter from the National Disability Insurance Agency stating that you do not meet the access requirements for NDIS funded services (i.e. that you are not eligible), you can request a review of this decision

​This may bring up some difficult feelings, which you may want to explore on the Self-Care Hub

Listen to some advice from a peer: LISTEN NOW to Padma's Advice - Don’t Give Up

Not everyone will be able to become a funded NDIS participant but you still have options that can support your recovery.

You can:

One of the things everyone can do is to set yourself some life goals: smaller ones that you can achieve by yourself in your everyday life, as well as larger ones you can work towards in the future.

By setting small goals that you can achieve by yourself in your day-to-day life, you can work towards living a meaningful and contributing life. When you feel ready to work towards larger or more complex goals you can explore what support options are available.

It can be hard to set recovery goals related to your hopes and dreams for the future without support. Your family and friends are good places to start this conversation. You might prefer to speak with other people with a lived experience of a mental health condition about what sorts of things have helped them. This is called ‘peer support’.

Many people who live with mental health conditions (referred to as ‘consumers’ with rights to choose services) find it really useful to meet and learn from other people who have experience of living with mental health conditions (peers).

You can meet peers, and learn more about recovery at local support groups, Clubhouses, Recovery Colleges and consumer groups, including peak bodies.

As mentioned in Step 2, even if you are not eligible to become an NDIS participant, your Local Area Coordinators may still be able to help you to:

  • Find information about support in your local community
  • Understand what you can expect from other mainstream supports – like health, mental health, early childhood development, child protection and family support, school education, higher education and vocational education and training (VET), employment, housing and community, transport, justice and aged care services
  • Sustain informal supports – this is family, friends and activities within your local community.

Your Local Area Coordinator and a range of mainstream mental health services can assist with thinking about your hopes, dreams or goals. Some other services that could support you are next.

Useful links

There are many organisations that provide different services and supports to help meet your needs. Exploring your hopes and dreams and then setting goals toward meeting them can help you to work out what supports you may need. When you know what type of supports you need you can explore what is available near you.

Go here for a list of national organisations that may be able to help you

To help support your application to the NDIS download the Reimagine Your Life Workbook

As you explore the 6 steps to accessing the NDIS, you will be guided to activities in the Reimagine Your Life Workbook, where you can complete questions and activities to support your application.

Co-designed with people living with mental health conditions and their support networks.
  • Produced by the

  • Funded by the

Accessing the ndis in 6 Steps.