Psychology and the NDIS
The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) provides funding for various types of support, including psychology services, to help people with disabilities build skills for greater independence. If you’re wondering “Does NDIS cover psychology?”, this article will explain what’s included, who is eligible, and how to access psychology services through NDIS.
Does the NDIS cover psychology services?
Yes! The NDIS funds psychology services for eligible participants under the Capacity Building – Improved Daily Living category. This funding is designed to help people build the skills they need for greater independence and wellbeing.
Psychologists can help participants by addressing emotional, cognitive, or behavioural challenges preventing achievement of their NDIS goals. They also support participants to build social and emotional skills essential for greater independence and community participation.
Sometimes, another clinician might recommend seeing an NDIS psychologist to address a specific issue that’s making progress difficult.
This could look like:
- Developing emotional regulation and coping strategies
- Building social and communication skills
- Enhancing problem-solving skills for everyday life
- Supporting the ability to complete life transitions, like starting school or entering the workforce
- Conducting functional assessments to understand a person’s strengths and challenges, to support interventions and planning
What isn’t covered by NDIS psychology funding?
However, NDIS psychology funding does not cover:
- Risk assessment, safety management, and crisis support
- Clinical diagnostic assessments (e.g., ADHD, ASD, PTSD diagnoses)
- Therapy for mental health conditions
- Substance use or abuse assessment, treatment and rehabilitation support
- Treatment and support for PTSD and trauma experiences
- School based adjustments to support learning
- Living out of home assessments and support
If your NDIS plan includes funding for improved daily living, you can use it to access a psychologist who can support you to reach your NDIS goals.
Who is eligible for NDIS psychology services?
Not all NDIS participants automatically get funding for psychology. This support is provided when it aligns with a participant’s NDIS goals and is considered necessary to help build capacity and improve daily living.
Psychology services are usually funded when they:
- Help build independence and life skills
- Improve community and social connection
- Address challenges linked to a disability
- Contribute to achieving specific NDIS goals
- Are based on evidence-based strategies
If psychology support isn’t included in your current plan but is needed, you can speak to your support coordinator or plan manager to work through the steps for having it included.
How to access NDIS psychologists?
To use your NDIS funding for psychology services, first confirm you have Capacity Building – Improved Daily Living funding which is not “stated” (i.e., linked to a specific support type). If you have funding available, next consider your plan type:
- Self-managed: You can choose any psychologist, NDIS-registered or not, and pay them directly.
- Plan-managed: You have flexibility in choosing a psychologist, with payments handled by a plan manager.
- NDIA-managed: You must use a NDIS-registered provider.
Once you confirm your funding, you can book an appointment with a psychologist or a provisional psychologist who specialises in NDIS-related therapy.
What is a provisional psychologist?
A provisional psychologist is someone who has completed their university studies in psychology and is now undertaking a supervised internship to become fully registered.
During this internship, they are registered with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA), and work closely with experienced clinical supervisors to build their practical skills, including assessments, psychological interventions, and support strategies. This professional supervision ensures that clients receive safe, effective, and high-quality psychological care.
Here at Therapy Pro we are proud to be the recipient of grant funding to support provisional psychologists.
Why choose a provisional psychologist?
There are some great benefits to working with a provisional psychologist. These include:
- High quality support – Each provisional psychologist is closely guided and supervised by an experienced registered psychologist, ensuring the quality of intervention provided and giving you the benefit of two psychologists.
- Fresh, modern approaches – They bring the latest psychological interventions, evidence-based techniques, and research to their sessions.
- Multidisciplinary team support – As part of their program provisional psychologists are taught to think systemically and work collegially with other therapists to provide well-rounded care. This can include OTs, social workers, speech pathologists, and positive behaviour support practitioners.
Get started with psychology support as soon as tomorrow!
Therapy Pro is a NDIS-registered provider, which means we can support participants with all types of NDIS funding – self-managed, plan-managed, and NDIA-managed. Our team provides flexible intervention options, offering sessions at home, school, in the community, or online via telehealth.
If you or someone you support is looking for NDIS-funded psychology services, Therapy Pro is here to help. Our team of registered and provisional psychologists provides high-quality, flexible support to address psychological barriers, build capacity, and improve independence.
Alternatively, send us a contact form below and we will get back to you with further information within 1 business day.
About the Author: Dr. Emma Ruddock
Dr. Emma Ruddock is a Clinical Psychologist specialising in the clinical and operational management of allied health professionals, with a passion for the supervision, teaching, and training of provisional psychologists, early career psychologists, and clinical registrar psychologists.
As the National Head of Psychology at Therapy Pro, Emma oversees our extensive team of registered and provisional psychologists based along Australia’s east coast. With extensive experience in both clinical practice and leadership roles, Emma is dedicated to fostering professional growth and ensuring high-quality psychological services that enhance the wellbeing and independence of participants. Her expertise includes developing best-practice frameworks, mentoring emerging psychologists, and promoting continuous improvement across psychological interventions within the NDIS context.
