How to Access Mental Health Support Services Through NDIS
Animo specialises in providing NDIS mental health support services for people with psychosocial disability in Melbourne, the Mornington Peninsula and Geelong, helping you understand your options and connect with mental health support services in the community.
What if you do not have an NDIS plan yet?
If you do not have an NDIS plan yet, you can:
Call the NDIS to ask about access and request the forms.
Speak with a local area coordinator (LAC) in your region for help with the application process.
Talk to your GP, psychologist or psychiatrist about how your mental health affects day‑to‑day life.
The NDIS funds disability‑related supports, but you need to check if you meet the access criteria for psychosocial disability. Once your access request is approved and you have funding in your plan, you can choose a psychosocial support provider such as Animo to deliver mental health support services that match your goals.
Understanding NDIS Mental Health Support Services
The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) funds support for Australians living with permanent and significant disabilities, including psychosocial disabilities that arise from mental health conditions.
Under the NDIS, mental health support services can include help with getting out into the community, building routines, increasing independence and working towards your personal goals with a support worker in your home or local area.
Referral Pathways and Mental Health Referral Services
Self‑referral if you already have an NDIS plan and want to choose your own support worker.
Referral from a family member, carer or friend who helps you manage your support.
Referral from a support coordinator or recovery coach who is already working with your NDIS plan.
Referral from a mental health clinician, social worker or community service recommending psychosocial support.
Animo accepts referrals from participants, families and support coordinators using an online referral form.
Once your referral is received, Animo reviews your information, confirms your funding and starts matching you with a suitable mental health support worker based on your goals, availability and location. We aim to allocate a worker in around two weeks, depending on availability in your area.
Eligibility: Who Can Access NDIS Mental Health Support
To access NDIS‑funded mental health support services, you first need to meet the NDIS eligibility criteria and have an approved plan.
You are eligible if:
You are aged under 65 and are an Australian citizen, a permanent resident or hold a Protected Special Category visa.
You have a permanent and significant disability, which can include a psychosocial disability from a mental health condition.
Your condition impacts socialising, self‑management, community access or maintaining routines.
If you already have an NDIS plan, you may be able to work with Animo if your plan includes funding for:
Core Support, such as Assistance with Social and Community Participation.
Capacity-building categories related to daily living or social and community participation.
Animo can work with self‑managed and plan‑managed NDIS plans, giving participants choice and control over how they use their mental health support services.
What Evidence Do You Need for NDIS Mental Health Access?
When you apply to the NDIS for mental health‑related support, focus on how your condition affects daily life.
It is helpful if your evidence describes:
Difficulties leaving the house, using public transport or going out alone.
Challenges keeping track of appointments, managing paperwork or remembering tasks.
Problems maintaining routines, self‑care or household responsibilities.
Impacts on relationships, social situations or participation in your community.
Useful evidence can include:
Reports from your GP, psychiatrist or psychologist that explain your symptoms and how they limit daily functioning.
Letters or summaries from community mental health teams or hospital stays.
Forms that outline what you can and cannot do without support, written by treating professionals.
How NDIS Funding Works for Mental Health Support
NDIS funding for mental health support is tailored to your individual goals and needs. For psychosocial disability, supports are claimed from the Core and Capacity Building categories.
For Animo clients, NDIS plans fund:
Regular weekly appointments with a mental health support worker.
Provider travel time so your worker can meet you at home or in the community.
Non‑face‑to‑face work such as brief phone calls, emails or coordination related to your support, billed at NDIS hourly rates where appropriate.
However, the NDIS does not cover the cost of personal expenses when you are out with your worker, such as coffees, food, entry tickets or public transport fares. These costs remain your responsibility even when your support is NDIS‑funded.
Service Types: What a Mental Health Support Worker Can Help With
Animo mental health support services focus on community‑based and recovery‑oriented psychosocial support.
With a support worker, you can receive support with:
Getting out of the house for a walk, coffee or visit to a park, gallery or museum.
Attending appointments such as the GP, psychiatrist or other health professionals.
Building confidence using public transport and navigating your local area.
Shopping for groceries and managing errands together.
Organising paperwork, bills or housing tasks alongside you.
Creating weekly routines that support your wellbeing and reduce isolation.
Building social connections and practising communication.
There are boundaries around what Animo’s workers do not provide, so your support remains safe and appropriate. Animo workers do not deliver personal care such as showering or dressing, do not clean your house and do not store or administer medication.
Psychosocial Support and Recovery‑Focused Care
Psychosocial support helps you live a meaningful life with or without ongoing mental health symptoms.
At Animo, psychosocial support workers:
Work alongside you on your wellbeing goals, at your pace.
Help you build skills and confidence.
Encourage community participation that is safe and realistic.
Provide a regular, trusted person to talk to about your week and your goals.
Because Animo only offers mental health support services, all workers complete specialised mental health training and have experience supporting people with conditions such as anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, OCD and schizophrenia.
Getting Started: Step‑by‑Step
Confirm your NDIS fundingCheck that your plan includes core support or capacity-building funding for social and community participation or psychosocial support.
Discuss your goalsThink about what you would like help with: leaving the house, feeling less isolated, managing appointments or exploring study, work or community activities.
Submit a referral to AnimoComplete Animo’s online referral form yourself, with a family member or with your support coordinator.
Matching with a support workerAnimo reviews your referral and starts matching you with a mental health support worker based on your goals, preferences, location and availability.
Meet your worker and begin supportOnce matched, you will agree on a regular weekly time and where to meet.
If you are unsure whether your NDIS plan can fund this support, you can contact Animo to discuss your options.
Where Animo Provides Mental Health Support
Animo provides mental health support workers across metropolitan Melbourne, the Mornington Peninsula and the Great Geelong region, meeting clients at home or out in the community.
With a team of over 100 mental health support workers, Animo can find a worker close to your local area that helps reduce travel time and increase flexibility.
When to Consider NDIS Mental Health Support Services
You may benefit from NDIS‑funded mental health support services if you:
Feel isolated or anxious about going out on your own.
Have trouble keeping on top of appointments or routines.
Want to build independence but need support to start.
Would like a consistent, non‑clinical support person alongside your treatment team.
Mental health support services are not a crisis or emergency response, and you should always contact emergency services or crisis helplines if you are in immediate danger. However, regular psychosocial support can make it easier to stay connected, practise new skills and maintain your wellbeing.
Submit an online referral or contact Animo today to talk about your goals and find a mental health support worker who understands psychosocial disability and recovery‑focused support.