The National Disability Insurance Scheme (commonly referred to as the NDIS) is Australia’s national way to provide funding support to people with a disability, including people with specific levels of low vision or blindness.

It is designed to cover the costs of services and equipment to assist you to achieve your goals. Application for NDIS funding is open to people under 65 years of age.

Whether you want to increase your independence, get more involved in your community, improve daily living skills or enhance your general health and wellbeing, the NDIS—and our guidance around getting the most out of it—can make your goals a reality.

Find out about your eligibility, how we can assist you to understand and navigate the Scheme, and the benefits of participating in the NDIS.

Guide Dogs abide by all relevant quality standards including the Aged Care Quality Standards and the NDIS Code of Conduct and Practice standards in everything we do. Guide Dogs NSW/ACT is registered to NDIS (Provider Registration and Practice Standards) Rules 2018.

You may not be eligible for the NDIS or My Aged Care, but there may be other options open to you.

Please call us on 1800 436 364 or 02 9412 9300 to discuss your circumstances.

Guide Dogs are also aware that, sometimes, circumstances beyond a Client’s control can lead to difficulty in financially supporting their Guide Dog e.g. managing veterinary costs or providing ongoing support for one of our senior dogs.

Please reach out to our Guide Dog Administration team (gdprogram@guidedogs.com.au) should you need assistance. Each case is assessed on an individual basis through our management team. You can download a copy of the Financial Assistance form here or read through the Financial Assistance Information Sheet.

Guide Dogs NSW/ACT has launched a new financial support package from 1 July 2024 that allows Clients to claim up to $1,000 each financial year of reimbursement for costs associated with maintaining the health and wellbeing of their retired Guide Dog.

This limit will not accumulate and will reset each financial year. No retrospective reimbursement claims can be made. This package will be reviewed annually and should changes be required, Guide Dogs NSW/ACT will ensure appropriate consultation and communication.

Who can use this package?

This package is available for Guide Dogs NSW/ACT Clients who have maintained ownership of their retired Guide Dogs or have placed them in the care of a friend or family member. This package does not cover working Guide Dogs or retired Guide Dogs that have been placed externally as pets.

What is covered?

Veterinary expenses

Preventative and prescriptive medication

Primary sources of nutrition and food

What is not covered?

Alternative types of care like acupuncture, chiropractic care or homeopathic remedies

Alternative sources of nutrition or food like treats and chew bones

Bathing and grooming services including shampoo and grooming tools

Boarding

Toys

How to apply

You can apply for reimbursement via the online form.

Please ensure you have your receipts ready to upload to the form.

If you require assistance or have any questions, please reach out to our Guide Dogs Administration Team at gdprogram@guidedogs.com.au.

Funding Position Statement

FAQs

What ways can Guide Dogs support me to access external funding (if eligible)?

Conversations with the Enquiry & Intake team will provide information about accessing external funding. There is also additional information on the My Aged Care and NDIS websites.

What if I have funding but I don’t want to utilise it with Guide Dogs?

If you do not want to use funding for GD services due to insufficient funding and you need to use it elsewhere, donor funding will be allocated to commence service with the expectation a review will occur.

Will there be a cap on how many donor funded hours a Client can receive per year?

As each person is unique, additional donor hours will be applied where necessary at the discretion of the Area Manager.

What is Docusign and Airdocs?

Service Agreements will be created in Airdocs which is a cloud-based tool that is able to easily compose the agreement pulling information from our Client management system. Agreements will be created quicker and can be sent via email, printed or attached to emails. If you have an email address the agreement will be sent via Docusign which is an easy-to-use digital transaction platform that lets users send, sign and manage legally binding documents securely in the cloud. The implementation of both systems will support quicker processes to ensure you can be ready to start services with Guide Dogs.

What if I don’t have an email address?

The Enquiry and Intake team can arrange for the Specialist to bring the Service Agreement to you on your first meeting. They will support you in consenting to the service agreement or answer any queries you may have. A Client Liaison Officer can also be available via telephone during this meeting to support with any questions you may have. We can post the Service Agreement to you if you prefer in either large or standard print.

What if I do not want a service agreement?

The Position Statement sets the expectation that service will not be provided unless a Service Agreement is signed and Service Agreements are widely used in the disability sector to ensure high standards of service quality. They provide clarity about servicing arrangements as well as assisting with communication and complaints resolution. If a person does not want a service agreement this will be treated on an individual basis and an understanding will be gained by the Area Manager.

I am a Guide Dog handler and Guide Dogs complete annual follow ups. Why would I need a service agreement?

We will work with each Client individually when follow ups are required. The Guide Dog Handler agreement is currently under review.

What is considered a delay in securing funding?

If there is a delay of more than four weeks that is due to circumstances outside of your control.

When will a suspension of service be considered for NDIS Clients?

Upon non-payment of three invoices within the term of a Service Agreement the Area Manager will seek to understand the reason for non-payment and work with you towards a resolution.

When will a suspension of service be considered for CHSP and donor funded Clients?

Upon cancellation of three sessions where two working days’ notice has not been given a suspension of service will occur and a solution will be discussed with you.

How can a Client resume service after a suspension?

If you are an NDIS participants service will resume once fees for the non-funded sessions have been recovered. If you are a CHSP or donor funded client, service can resume once discussions have been had with you to determine how best to support you to access services and avoid last minute cancellations.

How do I get help with understanding or applying the Position Statement?

Speak directly with the staff you are working with or call the Enquiry and Intake team who will do their best to assist you. If necessary the team will organise for you to speak with a Manager.

How do I provide feedback or suggestions?

Send your feedback to feedback@guidedogs.com.au or call and speak to Feedback Assistant who will lodge your feedback on our register.

Feedback and suggestions are encouraged. There will be reviews at 3, 6 and 12 months and your feedback is greatly appreciated and will be considered in detail at these review points.