High Intensity Supports Explained
An introduction to NDIS High Intensity Supports, staff training and questions to discuss about a participant’s support needs.
What Are High Intensity Supports?
High Intensity Daily Personal Activities is the official term for specified personal supports that involve complex needs and require additional worker skills. Depending on the person’s assessed needs, these may include activities such as complex bowel care, enteral feeding or urinary catheter management.
High intensity refers to the nature of the activity and the skills needed to provide it safely. It is not simply a description of receiving more hours of support, needing help overnight or having behaviours of concern. The relevant tasks, care arrangements and worker capabilities need to be considered for each person rather than assumed from a general label.
Clinical Skills and Training Required
Workers need the skills and knowledge relevant to the particular high intensity activity and the person receiving support. Training should address the person’s needs, the support plan, potential risks and what to do if something changes or goes wrong. The provider needs to confirm that workers can perform their assigned tasks safely.
Where clinical assessment, guidance or delegation is required, an appropriately qualified health professional needs to be involved. The arrangements depend on the activity and the person’s circumstances. Ask a prospective provider how training, competency, supervision and escalation are managed for the specific support you need.
Examples of High Intensity Supports
Examples of supports that may fall into the high intensity category include: assisting participants with complex manual handling needs; delivering personal care that involves clinical procedures such as catheter or stoma care; supporting participants who have complex communication needs and require specific communication approaches; and assisting participants with behaviours of concern in a way that requires specific training in positive behaviour support strategies.
Every participant's needs are different, and what qualifies as high intensity for one person may not for another. A Support Coordinator or allied health professional can help clarify whether a participant's needs fall within this category and what funding may be available.
Accessing High Intensity Supports
Whether a high intensity support can be funded depends on your disability-related needs, the evidence provided and the NDIS funding rules. A treating health professional can help describe the support required. Your my NDIS contact can explain how it relates to your plan and what information may be needed.
Contact Bloom Supports if you would like to ask about a particular support need. An initial conversation can help establish whether the requested activity, location and available capacity may be suitable. Any arrangement needs to be assessed before services are agreed, including the required worker skills and any clinical guidance.