In Tasmania, Local Area Coordinators work for the partner organisations Mission Australia and Baptcare. They are employed specifically by the N.D.I.S. to help people to get started with the N.D.I.S.
Your Local Area Coordinator may help you continue existing relationships and explain how to make a service agreement with an organisation. They can also help you to link with other new services if needed.
The Local Area Coordinator will also help you to connect to MyGov and to the N.D.I.S. user portal, so that you can keep an eye on your plan funds and manage your service bookings where needed.
They can help you to find and link with other new services you use or may need to use.
A Local Area Coordinator is responsible for contacting participants, and helping them to find mainstream and funded supports to help reach their N.D.I.S. goals.
GET STARTED
Once you receive your plan, a Local Area Coordinator should contact you to help you get started. If you have not heard from anyone shortly after receiving your plan, contact your local Mission Australia or Baptcare Office to get in touch with someone who can help you.
Your Local Area Coordinator can meet with you, or talk over the phone to help better understand your N.D.I.S. plan, and to get to know you and your needs. They can help you to find providers and get started with using your plan.
For more information about Local Area Coordinators and what they do, take a look at the N.D.I.S. page L.A.C. Partners in the Community.
ACTION STEPS
Here you can find a simple list of the best actions to take if you are interested in this topic:
1 .
Check your plan to see if you have been funded for Support Coordination. If you have, you will need to select a provider as your Local Area Coordinator will not be your main source of help. See the Finding Your Way section on Support Coordination for more information.
2 .
If you do not have Support Coordination, your Local Area Coordinator is the most appropriate person to help you, if required. You may not need help if you have already had an N.D.I.S. plan and everything is going well for you.
3 .
If you have not been contacted first, work out whether you are to contact Mission Australia or Baptcare. Information is provided below based on where you live in Tasmania.
4 .
Discuss with your Local Area Coordinator what you need assistance with and come up with a plan.
5 .
Contact your Local Area Coordinator if you have any questions later down the track, or if your circumstances change.