NDIS and disaster response

Coronavirus information

The Australian Government has enacted the Coronavirus Emergency Response Plan and the NDIA is taking necessary steps to prepare and support participants and providers.

We are collaborating with key government and health agencies and developing an Agency Pandemic Plan in line with the Government’s Emergency Response Plan.

As we closely monitor the coronavirus (COVID-19) situation, work with our Partner organisations to ensure they are also prepared, we ask that you check this page for any further updates.

We have recently published Easy Read information in English and a selection of languages, and frequently asked questions with the latest information about our response to the coronavirus (COVID-19).

• Easy Read – Coronavirus (COVID-19) information (PDF 3MB)
• Easy Read (text only) – Coronavirus (COVID-19) information (DOCX 50KB).
• Acerca del coronavirus (COVID-19) (PDF 92KB)
• Acerca del coronavirus (COVID-19) (DOCX 38KB)
• 有关冠状病毒（COVID-19）(PDF 170KB)
• 有关冠状病毒（COVID-19）(DOCX 40KB)
• 有關新型冠狀病毒肺炎（COVID-19）(PDF 217KB)
• 有關新型冠狀病毒肺炎（COVID-19）(DOCX 41KB)
• Thông tin về coronavirus (COVID-19) (PDF 142KB)
• Thông tin về coronavirus (COVID-19) (DOCX 39KB)

Keeping yourself safe

Coronavirus is a respiratory illness, with symptoms ranging from a mild cough to pneumonia. Some people recover quickly and easily, and others may get very sick, very quickly.

Good hygiene can prevent infection for most people. The Department of Health website  has key resources to help you understand if:

• you are at risk
• need to isolate yourself and
• how to prevent contracting the virus .

If you are an NDIS participant and you are concerned about your exposure to coronavirus (COVID-19), the Department of Health has a specific hotline to respond to your enquiries.

1800 020 080 (24 hours a day, seven days a week).

If you are deaf or have a hearing or speech impairment, you can use the National Relay Service to access any of the department’s listed phone numbers.

You can visit the National Relay Service website or call 1300 555 727. If you need translation and/or interpretation support, Translating and Interpreting Services are offered by the Australian Government on the Department of Home Affairs website .

Participant information

Frequently asked questions and Easy Read information have been published to assist with your questions about the NDIA’s response to the coronavirus (COVID-19).

The number of face-to-face meetings with NDIS participants is being reduced in line with the Australian Government’s advice in the coronavirus (COVID-19) national health response plan. However, face-to-face services are still available. If the Department of Health advice is to stop face-to-face meetings we will let you know. The Agency is able to deliver both scheduled plan reviews and first plan meetings in other ways like phone, video or email.

Participants, families and carers can request alternatives to face-to-face meetings, if participants are concerned about their exposure to respiratory illness.

Both scheduled plan reviews and first plan meetings can be completed over the phone, if the participant:

• would prefer not to have a face-to-face meeting
• has recently returned from overseas, or
• has come in contact with someone affected by coronavirus (COVID-19).

For further information on changes to service delivery, plans reviews and remote communities and large establishments visits refer to our frequently asked questions and Easy Read information.

Local Area Coordinators and Early Childhood Partners may be changing their office operations due to coronavirus (COVID-19) management plans. Find a list of affected offices.

NDIS participants that are concerned about exposure to coronavirus (COVID-19) are able to contact the Department of Health Coronavirus hotline on 1800 020 080 or the National Relay Service on 1300 555 727.

If you have questions or require advice, please contact the NDIS Contact Centre on 1800 800 110.

The NDIA will keep this page up to date with advice and information related to changes in service delivery.

Advice for providers

The Department of Health have provided specific advice for people who;

• have returned from a country or region that is at higher risk for coronavirus (COVID-19) , and,
• work in a setting with vulnerable people .

Providers are encouraged to regularly check the Department of Health and state or territory specific information for the latest advice.

The NDIS National and Quality and Safeguard Commission (NQSC) is providing regular advice to registered NDIS providers and has links to Provider Alerts that contain important information for NDIS providers about coronavirus (COVID-19).

Providers are required to notify NQSC of any changes to the scale of their operations. They can do this by emailing registrations@ndiscommission.gov.au or calling 1800 035 544.

When registering, NDIS providers are required to ensure ‘continuity of support requirements’ and ‘risk management’ modules are in place. Providers should refer to the Commission Quality Indicators to ensure they are prepared.

For further information for providers, including a list of useful links, refer to our frequently asked questions.

Coronavirus (COVID-19) frequently asked questions

We will regularly update our FAQs as further information becomes available.

Please Visit Ndis.gov.au for more information.