The NDIS plan has so many stakeholders along with participants that sometimes their roles might look like each other. This is not a big deal. Here you will understand that the two major assistance of Plan Management and Support Coordination, are different. Read on to be clear about the plan managers and Support coordinators and their respective roles. Learn about the differences between NDIS plan managers and support coordinators. 

Understanding the differences between NDIS plan managers and support coordinators

Let us start with the knowledge that both of them might work together to give you the final frame of your plan. They help you achieve the goals of your plan and empower you to live life independently. However, they do so in their way! We will start with the Plan managers. 

Who is a Plan Manager? 

To realise the differences between NDIS plan managers and support coordinators, you must know who they are, right? Plan Managers are like financial experts for your NDIS plan. They handle the money part, making sure you spend it wisely and choose the right services. 

Now, the next question will be “What do they do? What are the tasks included?” Read the following to know it better

Paying for Services 

In most cases, the plan manager will see your finances. What it means is that they handle the payments for the services you receive under your NDIS plan.

Claiming Money Back 

You do know that the NDIS is also a lot of paperwork, right? Hence, they deal with paperwork to get money back from the NDIS for the services you’ve used.

Money Tracking

Money is fixed, and you need someone to help you track where you are investing. Who does that? It is them. Plan managers keep track of how much money is left in your plan and give you regular updates.

Financial Reports

To ensure you know how much is gone, they prepare reports on how you’ve spent your NDIS money, which might be needed for checks.

Navigating NDIS

That tough ride of the NDIS plan is made easy by them.  It will help you understand how the NDIS works and guide you through the process.

Knowing about Support Coordinators

The next step to know the differences between NDIS plan managers and support coordinators is to understand SC. Support Coordinators focus on making your NDIS plan better. They don’t handle money matters but assist you in connecting with services and using them effectively. Their responsibilities include:

Connecting with Services 

Given the list of things one can get from NDIS, how do we get those services? That is when SCs help you find and connect with the services you need.

Paperwork Assistance

Again, like we said in the beginning some tasks may look similar for both of these roles. Even support coordinators can assist in sorting out paperwork, such as arranging assessments and managing service agreements.

Plan Renewal 

Let’s say you want your plan to be renewed and you wish to contact someone, it is them you go to! They help with renewing or reviewing your NDIS plan when needed.

Levels of Support Coordination

One very interesting thing that you will not find with the plan managers is the level of support offered. You can choose different levels of NDIS Support Coordination. These are as follows: 

• Support Connection: Helps you connect with various services available in your community.
• Support Coordination: Aims to improve your ability to use your NDIS plan effectively, assisting you in managing service tasks and becoming more independent.
• Specialist Support Coordination: Tailored for individuals with complex needs, providing specialized support to manage challenges in their support environment.

Conclusion

Understanding the differences between NDIS plan managers and support coordinators helps participants to make informed decisions about their support needs. Whether it’s ensuring proper financial management through Plan Management or optimizing service utilization with Support Coordination, both are essential components of the NDIS scheme aimed at improving the lives of individuals with disabilities.

By recognizing the unique functions of each, participants can make the most of their NDIS plans, accessing the support they need to achieve their goals and enhance their quality of life. Whether seeking Plan Management or Support Coordination, individuals can find assistance tailored to their specific needs, ultimately empowering them to lead more independent and fulfilling lives within their communities.