Did you know an AT request can be made at ANY time?

By Rebekah Devlin

Whaaaat? Yes, some of us here didn’t realise either!

You DO NOT need to wait until your annual plan review to ask for the Assistive Technology your child needs.

As your child’s requirements are constantly changing, there is in-built flexibility in the NDIS for AT requests.

There are several ways to make an AT request:

• Ask an allied health professional such as an occupational therapist or physiotherapist to assist with filling out an AT Assessment form to be sent to the NDIS.
• Request funding by submitting a quote for the AT item yourself, along with a Letter of support from the allied health professional or qualified assessor indicating why the item is reasonable and necessary for your child’s disability.
• At a plan reassessment.

Please be mindful that while an AT request can be submitted at any time throughout your child’s plan, your request may initiate a plan reassessment by the NDIS.

Recent changes also mean participants with flexible AT funding in their plans can now access a wider range of AT items without submitting a quote. For certain items, a Letter of support from a qualified assessor may be sufficient to use flexible Capital funding for the purchase.

Low cost, low risk AT can also be purchased from the Consumables budget without permission, if it is reasonable and necessary and will help to meet your child’s goals.

AT is an area that changes regularly.

For the latest information, please visit the NDIS website ndis.gov.au/ participants/assistive-technology-explained

Our friends at Leapin! have this advice:

It’s possible to submit an Assistive Technology (AT) Assessment or request to the NDIA at any time.