What you need to know about NDIS plans, funding and rules, with a focus on capacity building and allied health, plus links to deeper guides.

The NDIS won’t fund psychology to treat a mental health condition, that’s Medicare’s role. It funds psychology that builds functional capacity tied to a person’s disability, under Improved Daily Living. This guide explains why requests get declined as a “health system” issue, and how to frame one so a planner can approve it.

Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) is one of the most commonly funded NDIS Capacity Building supports, and one of the most misunderstood. This guide explains what PBS is, how assessment works, how it is funded in an NDIS plan, and when it is the right referral. Whether you are a support coordinator, family member, or participant, you will find a plain-language overview here.

Written by Julian Vilsten, Clinical Neuropsychologist and Specialist Behaviour Support Practitioner. Last updated: April 2026 NDIS funding is released in instalments called funding periods rather than being available as a full annual budget upfront. Depending on the support type, funding may be released quarterly, monthly, or in full at the start of the plan. The total amount does not change. What changes is when the funding becomes available. Funding periods can be set at 1,

The NDIS Price Guide sets the maximum a registered provider can charge for each support. Here's how price limits work across NDIA-managed, plan-managed and self-managed plans, what they cover beyond hourly rates, and how to check a quoted rate.

Written by Julian Vilsten, Clinical Neuropsychologist and Specialist Behaviour Support Practitioner. Last updated: April 2026 NDIS Core funding pays for the support you need right now: support workers, consumables, and transport. Capacity Building funding pays for therapy and skill development to build independence over time. Psychology, behaviour support, occupational therapy, and speech pathology typically fall under Capacity Building. Core covers "today"; Capacity Building

There is a specific feeling every Support Coordinator knows. You receive a comprehensive Behaviour Support Plan. It is 40 pages long. It looks professional. You look at the bill: a huge chunk of the “Improved Relationships” budget is gone. Then you read the strategies. For a participant with a severe intellectual disability who is non-speaking, the plan suggests: “Ask them to take three deep breaths” or “Remind them to make ‘good choices’.” You have just witnessed “Generic Be

As a Support Coordinator, you know the cycle. You have a participant with complex needs, perhaps a mix of intellectual disability and high-risk behaviours. You send out five referrals. You cross your fingers. One provider responds within an hour: “Yes! We have immediate capacity. Send the plan.” No questions about the behaviour support needs. No check on the complexity. Just a “yes.” You breathe a sigh of relief. You’ve ticked that box. You report back to the family that help

Written by Julian Vilsten, Clinical Neuropsychologist and Specialist Behaviour Support Practitioner. Last updated: April 2026 A Functional Behaviour Assessment (FBA) is a structured and evidence-based process used to understand why a person engages in challenging behaviour. Rather than simply addressing the behaviour itself, an FBA aims to uncover the underlying reasons for it, offering insight into how best to support the individual in achieving their needs in more positive

Written by Julian Vilsten, Clinical Neuropsychologist and Specialist Behaviour Support Practitioner. Last updated: April 2026 Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) is an evidence-based, person-centred approach supported by the NDIS that helps individuals reduce behaviours of concern while enhancing their quality of life. At its core, PBS isn't about controlling behaviour, it's about understanding it. Rather than focusing on the surface-level behaviour, PBS digs deeper to uncover t

Restrictive practices limit a person's rights or freedom of movement. The NDIS regulates five types and only allows them as a last resort. Here's what each means, with examples.