The NDIS is a tremendous reform which has the potential to empower and transform the lives of people with disability, their families and carers. In many cases, the NDIS is delivering real benefits. However, as the NDIS is progressively rolled out across Victoria, it is becoming apparent that a large number of OPA’s clients with complex and challenging support needs are not seeing the benefits that the scheme is intended to deliver.

The people experiencing the greatest difficulties under the NDIS typically:

• have multiple and/or severe disabilities requiring various forms of support, often compounded by experiences of trauma

• experience issues with interpersonal engagement, such that they have limited family support and/or are unable to live with others

• engage in challenging behaviours that can put themselves or others at risk of harm

• are or have been engaged in multiple government service systems

• have a history (or are at risk) of unstable accommodation, homelessness and/ or periods in detention in the criminal justice and/or mental health systems and, as a consequence of the above

• have exhausted (or are at risk of exhausting) service providers and workers.

This report makes fifteen recommendations to improve system, service and operational issues to ensure the scheme delivers the intended transformational benefits for all people with disability.