33Matters that must be included in a participant’s plan

#### 33 Matters that must be included in a participant’s plan Participant’s statement of goals and aspirations (1) A participant’s plan must include a statement (the participant’s statement of goals and aspirations) prepared by the participant that specifies: (a) the goals, objectives and aspirations of the participant; and (b) the environmental and personal context of the participant’s living, including the participant’s: (i) living arrangements; and (ii) informal community supports and other community supports; and (iii) social and economic participation. Statement of participant supports (2) A participant’s plan must include a statement (the statement of participant supports), prepared with the participant and approved by the CEO, that specifies: (a) the general supports (if any) that will be provided to, or in relation to, the participant; and (b) the reasonable and necessary supports (if any) that will be funded under the National Disability Insurance Scheme; and (c) the date by which, or the circumstances in which, the Agency must reassess the plan under Division 4; and (d) the management of the funding for supports under the plan (see also Division 3); and (e) the management of other aspects of the plan. Total funding amounts, funding component amounts and funding periods (2A) In addition to the matters mentioned in paragraphs (2)(a) to (e), the statement of participant supports must: (a) specify that funding will be provided under the plan to or in relation to the participant, for all reasonable and necessary supports funded under the plan taken as a whole, up to a specified amount (the total funding amount) worked out under subsection (2B); and (b) in accordance with any requirements determined under subsection (2E) for the purposes of this paragraph, categorise the reasonable and necessary supports specified under paragraph (2)(b) into one or more groups of supports identified in the statement; and (c) specify that funding will be provided under the plan to or in relation to the participant, for supports in each group identified under paragraph (b) of this subsection, up to an amount (a funding component amount) specified in the statement for the group that is worked out in accordance with any requirements determined under subsection (2E) for the purposes of this paragraph; and (d) specify that funding will be provided under the plan to or in relation to the participant for reasonable and necessary supports during specified periods (each of which is a funding period). > Note: For paragraph (b), if the statement specifies only a single reasonable and necessary support or class of such supports, the support or class may be categorised and identified as a single group. (2B) For the purposes of paragraph (2A)(a), the total funding amount specified in a statement of participant supports must be an amount equal to: (a) if the statement specifies more than one funding component amount—the sum of those amounts; or (b) if the statement specifies a single funding component amount—that amount. (2C) For the purposes of paragraph (2A)(d), the statement must: (a) specify funding periods for funding for either: (i) all reasonable and necessary supports funded under the plan, taken as a whole; or (ii) each group of supports identified under paragraph (2A)(b); and (b) specify when each funding period starts and ends; and (c) specify, for each funding period: (i) if funding periods are specified as mentioned in subparagraph (a)(i) of this subsection—the proportion of the total funding amount that will be provided as funding under the plan, during the funding period, for reasonable and necessary supports; or (ii) if funding periods are specified as mentioned in subparagraph (a)(ii) of this subsection—the proportion of the funding component amount for the group of supports to which the funding period relates that will be provided as funding under the plan, during the funding period, for supports in the group; and (d) if funding periods are specified as mentioned in subparagraph (a)(i) of this subsection—specify that the amount of funding for reasonable and necessary supports that will be provided during a funding period will be increased above the proportion specified for the funding period under subparagraph (c)(i) of this subsection by an amount equal to the amount by which: (i) the amount of funding that could have been provided under the plan for reasonable and necessary supports during the immediately preceding funding period; exceeds (ii) the amount of funding that was actually provided for such supports; and (e) if funding periods are specified as mentioned in subparagraph (a)(ii) of this subsection—specify that the amount of funding, for supports in a group to which a funding component amount relates, that will be provided during a funding period for that group will be increased above the proportion specified for the funding period under subparagraph (c)(ii) of this subsection by an amount equal to the amount by which: (i) the amount of funding that could have been provided under the plan for supports in that group during the immediately preceding funding period for that group; exceeds (ii) the amount of funding that was actually provided for supports in that group. (2D) For the purposes of paragraph (2C)(b): (a) a funding period must be no more than 12 months; and (b) the duration of a particular funding period may be different from the duration of any other funding period; and (c) without limiting paragraph (b) of this subsection, if the funding periods are specified as mentioned in subparagraph (2C)(a)(ii), then the duration of the funding periods for one group of supports identified in the plan under paragraph (2A)(b) may be different from the duration of funding periods for any other group of supports identified in the plan under paragraph (2A)(b); and (d) if funding periods are specified as mentioned in subparagraph (2C)(a)(i): (i) the first funding period must start on a day worked out in accordance with any requirements determined under subsection (2E) for the purposes of this subparagraph; and (ii) each other funding period must start immediately after the end of the immediately preceding funding period; and (e) if funding periods are specified as mentioned in subparagraph (2C)(a)(ii): (i) the first funding period for a group of supports must start on a day worked out in accordance with any requirements determined under subsection (2E) for the purposes of this subparagraph; and (ii) each other funding period for the group of supports must start immediately after the end of the immediately preceding funding period for that group. (2E) The Minister may, by legislative instrument, determine: (a) requirements for categorising reasonable and necessary supports into groups for the purposes of paragraph (2A)(b); and (b) how to work out a funding component amount for a group of supports; and (c) how to work out when a first funding period is to start for the purposes of subparagraph (2D)(d)(i) or (e)(i); and (d) requirements with which the CEO must comply, methods or criteria that the CEO is to apply, and matters that the CEO may, must or must not take into account, in doing any of the following: (i) working out a funding component amount; (ii) specifying funding periods for the purposes of paragraph (2C)(a); (iii) deciding any other matter for the purposes of subsection (2A), (2C) or (2D). > Note: Part 4 of Chapter 3 (sunsetting) of the Legislation Act 2003 does not apply to the instrument (see regulations made for the purposes of paragraph 54(2)(b) of that Act). (2F) Despite subsection 14(2) of the Legislation Act 2003, a determination under subsection (2E) of this section may make provision for or in relation to a matter by applying, adopting or incorporating any matter contained in an instrument or other writing as in force or existing from time to time. How supports may be specified in plan (3) The supports that will be funded or provided under the National Disability Insurance Scheme may be specifically identified in the plan or described generally, whether by reference to a specified purpose or otherwise. Time limits for approving statement of participant supports (4) The CEO must decide whether or not to approve the statement of participant supports: (a) within the period worked out in accordance with the National Disability Insurance Scheme rules prescribed for the purposes of this paragraph (which may take account of section 36 (information and reports)); or (b) if there are no such rules—as soon as reasonably practicable, including what is reasonably practicable having regard to section 36 (information and reports). Requirements for CEO in approving statement of participant supports (5) In deciding whether or not to approve a statement of participant supports under subsection (2), the CEO must: (a) have regard to the participant’s statement of goals and aspirations; and (b) have regard to relevant assessments conducted in relation to the participant; and (c) be satisfied as mentioned in section 34 in relation to the reasonable and necessary supports that will be funded and the general supports that will be provided; and (d) apply the National Disability Insurance Scheme rules (if any) made for the purposes of section 35; and (e) have regard to the principle that a participant should manage his or her plan to the extent that he or she wishes to do so; and (f) have regard to the operation and effectiveness of any previous plans of the participant; and (g) have regard to whether section 46 (acquittal of NDIS amounts) was complied with in relation to any previous plan for the participant. Agency‑managed funding—supports to be provided only by a registered NDIS provider (6) To the extent that the funding for supports under a participant’s plan is managed by the Agency, the plan must provide that the supports are to be provided only by a registered NDIS provider. Plan may deal with additional matters (7) A participant’s plan may include additional matters, including such additional matters as are prescribed by the National Disability Insurance Scheme rules. > Note: For example, a participant’s plan may include arrangements for ongoing contact with the Agency. Statement of goals and aspirations to be recorded in writing (8) A participant’s statement of goals and aspirations need not be prepared by the participant in writing, but if it is prepared other than in writing, the Agency must record it in writing. > Note: Section 38 requires a copy of a participant’s plan to be provided to him or her.