NDIS information linkages and capacity building for over 65’s

On this page you will find information on the NDIS information linkages and capacity building for over 65’s, and what it means

The NDIS is made up of two core components. These are:

  1. Individual NDIS Plans (also known as Individually Funded Packages) for eligible people
  2. Information, Linkages and Capacity Building (ILC) activities for all people with disability, their families and carers

Information Linkages and Capacity Building, or ILC, was previously referred to as Tier 2 of the NDIS. The broad aims of ILC are:

  1. To provide information, referral and capacity building supports for people with disabilities, their families, and carers that are not directly tied to a person through an Individually Funded Package
  2. To partner with local communities, mainstream and universal services to improve access and inclusion for people with disability

In reference to people with disability who are over the age of 65, The Information Linkages and Capacity Building Policy Framework states:

“People with disability who are over the age of 65 years will access information and referral or benefit from community capacity building, however, they will likely gain most of their supports from the aged care system. The NDIS and aged care interface arrangements should be complementary and ILC should support people to access the most appropriate services and supports.”

Local area Coordination is the centerpiece of the ILC system. The majority of funding that has been allocated to ILC will be invested in local area coordination, which will be undertaken by select agencies in each state or territory. In New South Wales, for example, Local Area Coordination will be undertaken by Uniting and St Vincent De Paul.

Local Area Coordination is a frontline approach that aims to bring together key elements of advocacy, community development, and social work and case management. It is designed to be flexible and tailored to each person’s individual needs. If Local Area Coordination is effectively implemented, it will play a key role in assisting older people with disability to get the support they need from any combination of:

  • The My Aged Care Scheme
  • The Continuity of Support Program
  • Information Linkages and Capacity Building activities

      • The ILC policy framework also states:

      “The NDIS should have capacity to provide ease of access to one off low cost supports or low cost equipment where it is sufficient to facilitate independent living or social and economic participation, or reduce potential future support costs and requirements.”

      It would appear that services responsible for conducting Local Area Coordination will have a pool of funding available to allow for the purchase of low cost, one-off supports.

      The My Aged Scare campaign group will need to liaise with agencies undertaking Local Area Coordination in each state and territory to determine the extent to which they are resourced to be able to provide people with disability who are over the age of 65 with an appropriate level of information and support. It would also be useful to determine what sorts of low costs, one-off supports can be provided by LAC agencies and explore the extent to which adaptive aids and equipment could be provided to older people with disability on a one-off basis, in cases where there is no other funding avenue available to purchase these supports.

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