Psychosocial disability

Support for people with mental health conditions and psychosocial disability

Where to go if you require immediate mental health support outside the NDIS

If you or someone you know need support, the services listed on the Family violence and mental health support page may be able to help:

For emergencies call triple zero (000).

Making community connections

If you need support for your psychosocial disability or mental health condition, first consider talking to a local area coordinator about community connections.

Community connections can include things like help to access information, talking about how to access mainstream and community supports, or help to apply to the NDIS.

You don’t have to apply to or be eligible for the NDIS to get community connections.

People aged 9-64 with disability or mental health conditions and NDIS participants can access community connections through NDIS local area coordinators.

They will help you learn about and access the supports available in your community.

The factsheet below explains the services that are available if you cannot access the NDIS.

Psychosocial support in the NDIS

While everyone living with a mental health condition may be impacted by their condition, not everyone who has a mental health condition will experience psychosocial disability.

The NDIS funds supports for people with psychosocial disability who are eligible to become participants in the NDIS.

These resources provide an overview of the support the NDIS can provide:

If you have a psychosocial disability and support needs related to that, you may be eligible for an NDIS plan.

The NDIS funds psychosocial supports that focus on improving functional ability and social and economic participation.

The NDIS can fund supports that help with:

participating in community and social activities
building greater independence
gaining access to new skills or jobs, or volunteering in your community
socialising, social skills and relationships
improving your quality of life.

The following factsheet explains how the NDIS can support you in your recovery journey.

We have answered some common questions about NDIS access on the Applying to the NDIS for people with psychosocial disability page.

Information for health professionals, service providers and supporters

We have resources to help general practitioners, mental health professionals, recovery coaches and support workers in:

supporting a person’s application for the NDIS
providing support to a participant.

We also have information to support families, carers, plan nominees and child representatives.

NDIS Psychosocial Disability Recovery-Oriented Framework

The NDIS Psychosocial Disability Recovery-Oriented Framework guides us in better supporting participants living with psychosocial disability, their families and carers.

The NDIA wants all people with psychosocial disability in the NDIS to be supported in their personal recovery and to live a life that has meaning for them.

They will have access to supports that improve social and economic participation.