Allied health professionals play a crucial role in helping NDIS participants build skills, improve function, and achieve goals. These therapists bring specialised expertise yet many participants feel uncertain about how to work effectively with them or get value from therapy funding.
What Are Allied Health Professionals?
Allied health professionals are university-qualified practitioners who provide therapeutic and support services. Unlike doctors, allied health focuses on helping you build skills, improve function, and work toward independence. The key difference: they work collaboratively with you to develop strategies and achieve lasting improvements aligned with your NDIS goals.
Types of Allied Health Under the NDIS
The NDIS funds various allied health disciplines under Capacity Building supports. Occupational therapists help develop skills for daily living, work, and leisure. Physiotherapists work on physical function, mobility, and strength. Speech pathologists address communication and swallowing difficulties. Psychologists provide therapy for mental health and behaviour support. Exercise physiologists design exercise programmes for people with disabilities. Dietitians provide specialised nutrition advice. Positive behaviour support practitioners develop strategies for managing behaviours of concern.
Therapy vs Medical Treatment
The NDIS funds therapy to build skills and capacity — not medical treatment unrelated to your disability. For example, physiotherapy to improve mobility related to cerebral palsy is funded, but treatment for a sports injury isn't.
How Allied Health Funding Works
Allied health is funded under Capacity Building — Improved Health and Wellbeing. Your plan specifies therapy funding separate from Core Supports. Funding typically covers initial assessments, regular therapy sessions, progress reviews, family training where relevant, and development of home programmes. Most allied health services charge hourly rates set in the NDIS Price Guide.
Choosing the Right Allied Health Professionals
Finding therapists who suit your needs makes therapy far more effective. Consider experience with your disability, communication style, evidence-based practice, goal-focused approach, collaboration style, and location. Don't hesitate to try different therapists until you find the right fit — therapeutic relationships are personal.
Coordinating Multiple Therapists
Many participants work with several allied health professionals simultaneously. Coordination prevents duplication and ensures therapists work toward shared goals. Share your NDIS plan with all therapists, request they communicate with each other, use therapy coordination if needed, and keep a therapy schedule. Request a case conference if you have three or more therapists to ensure coordinated approaches.
Getting Value from Therapy
Maximise therapy outcomes by being an active participant. Be clear about your goals, do home practice between sessions, ask questions if you don't understand, give honest feedback, track progress, and communicate barriers that limit your attendance.
Need Allied Health Support?
Life Assist Abilities Support can help coordinate your allied health services and ensure therapists work together effectively.
Get in TouchFrequently Asked Questions
What allied health professionals can I access under the NDIS?
The NDIS funds occupational therapists, physiotherapists, speech pathologists, psychologists, exercise physiologists, dietitians, and positive behaviour support practitioners. Access depends on your goals — therapies must relate to your disability and help achieve your NDIS goals.
How much therapy funding will I get?
Therapy funding varies based on your goals and needs. Some receive $2,000-$5,000 annually for maintenance therapy, whilst others with complex needs receive $20,000+ for intensive intervention. Discuss therapy needs during planning meetings to ensure adequate funding.
Can I choose my own therapist?
Yes. You can choose any allied health professional, whether NDIS registered or not (if plan or self-managed). Interview potential therapists and choose practitioners you feel comfortable working with.
Do therapists need to be NDIS registered?
Only if you're NDIA-managed. Plan-managed and self-managed participants can use any qualified allied health professional. However, NDIS-registered providers offer additional safeguards through the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission.
How do I coordinate multiple therapists?
Share your NDIS goals with all therapists, request they communicate with each other, consider therapy coordination funding for complex cases, and request case conferences when working with three or more therapists to ensure coordinated approaches.