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Difference Between Plan Management and Support Coordination

Difference Between Plan Management and Support Coordination

Plan management and support coordination are two terms associated with NDIS. Plan management and support coordination are the services that help people with a disability put their NDIS plan into the best action. Both the services help people with a disability differently. Many people assume both of these services to be the one and the same; however, they are not. Many people with disabilities are not clear about the difference between these services and what these services do or don’t do.

We will discuss what these two services are what they do to understand the difference between plan management and support coordination.

What is Plan Management?

Plan management is one of the options you can use for managing your NDIS plan the right way. Plan management takes care of the funding-related tasks and financial administration of your NDIS funding. A plan manager helps the NDIS participants with several tasks such as paying the invoices on behalf of the participants, providing monthly statements of the budget, keeping track of the funding, preventing overspending, and underspending of the NDIS budget etc. They also take care of how much budget is remaining in your NDIS plan.

Plan managers are just like your NDIS accountants who manage your NDIS plan and take care of your budget so that the participants can achieve their goals correctly.

You will be asked by the NDIS whether you want to include plan management in your NDIS plan or not. If you ask for it during your NDIS Planning meeting, you will get it in your plan.

What does a Plan Management Specialist do?

A plan manager helps the NDIS participants with several tasks such as-

  • Takes care of the claiming of NDIS-related invoices

  • Pays your service providers on your behalf

  • Resolves billing related issues

  • Keep an eye on underspending or overspending of budget.

  • Claims funds through NDIS portal

  • Help you manage the financial reporting

  • Be your expert in NDIS funding related matters

What is Support Coordination?

Support coordination helps the NDIS participants by finding and connecting with the service providers who can help them with the best services and fulfill all their needs.

Unlike plan management, support coordinators do not help the NDIS participants to manage their plan funding and financial factors of the plan. Support coordination has a different function than plan management. Support coordinators connect the NDIS participants to service providers across the country.

Whether you are plan-managed or self-managed, you can access a support coordinator in your plan if approved by NDIS.

What does Support Coordinators do?

Support coordinators assist you in implementing your NDIS plan and connecting you with the relevant services and service providers for the best NDIS services.

Here are the services that support coordination service provider provides to NDIS participants-

  • Help you understand the complete details of your NDIS plan

  • Connect you with the right service providers to fulfill your goals

  • Guide you throughout your NDIS journey

  • Will prepare you for the review meeting of your plan

These were some of the services that NDIS support coordination service providers provide to the NDIS participants under support coordination.

Plan Management vs. Support Coordinators

You can request the NDIS to include plan management or support coordination services in your NDIS plan during your planning meeting. If NDIS approves your request, the plan management or support coordination will be included in your NDIS plan.

Here are some of the questions to consider while choosing a plan manager or support coordinator-

  • How often does your plan manager communicate with you to ensure you are on the right track with your plan?

  • Do the plan managers help you to manage your NDIS funds efficiently?

  • Do the support coordinators have enough experience in the disability sector?

  • Are the plan management specialists experienced in managing the NDIS funds?

  • Are the plan managers focused on helping you achieve your goals seamlessly?

  • Are your plan managers truly dedicated to helping you fulfill all your NDIS goals?

These are some of the questions to keep in mind while asking for plan managers or support coordinators during your NDIS meeting.

Want to Know More? We are Here to Help!

If you want to know how to plan management and support coordination work and want to know the difference between plan management and support coordination, you can reach out to Access Foundation. We are the best NDIS service provider in New South Wales and West Australia, offering NDIS support services to people with disabilities in need.

We are NDIS plan management specialists and NDIS support coordination service providers offering quality NDIS services to people with disabilities looking forward to their NDIS goals. We are here to help you achieve your goals and make the most out of your NDIS plan.