If you’ve been searching for an “OT near me” or an “NDIS occupational therapist near me”, you’re probably looking for more than just a list of names.
You need an NDIS occupational therapist who:
- understands your needs
- has the right experience
- works with NDIS participants (important)
- has no waitlist (hell yes!)
Here’s what an occupational therapist can help with, how occupational therapy works with the NDIS, and where you can find an OT near you.
What does an occupational therapist do?
An occupational therapist, usually called an OT for short, helps people:
- take part in everyday activities and
- become more independent.
An NDIS occupational therapist can help with:
showering, dressing and personal care
preparing meals
household tasks
getting around the home or community
building daily living skills
sensory regulation
participating at school, work or in the community
assistive technology and equipment
home modifications
functional assessments and reports.
The support an OT provides will depend on:
- the person, their disability,
- their goals and
- what they are finding difficult in everyday life.
Can the NDIS pay for occupational therapy?
Yes, occupational therapy can be funded through the NDIS when it relates to your disability and meets the NDIS funding criteria.
Whether you can use your particular NDIS funding for OT will depend on your plan, the supports included in it and what you need the occupational therapist to help you with.
If you are unsure whether an OT appointment can be paid from your plan, it is worth checking before you start looking for services (otherwise its a total time waster).
Where do I find OT funding in my NDIS plan?
Occupational therapy is usually paid from the Capacity Building section of your NDIS plan, most commonly under Improved Daily Living.
This budget can be used for assessment, training and therapy supports that help you build skills and become more independent.
Depending on what the OT is helping with, you may also see related funding elsewhere in your plan. For example, assistive technology or home modifications may have their own funding.
If your plan is managed by Plan Hero and you are not sure where your OT funding sits, the Plan Hero team can help you understand which part of your plan may be used for the service.
How do I find an OT near me?
Finding an occupational therapist is not always as simple as searching Google for “OT near me”.
The closest OT may not necessarily be the right OT for you and even though they claim to have ‘no waitlists’ we know that this is often not the case!
We have partnered with an online platform that has therapists who are guaranteed to have availability when you are connected with them.
Find an NDIS occupational therapist with MyCareSpace
Plan Hero partners with MyCareSpace to help NDIS participants and families find occupational therapists with availability.
MyCareSpace can help you find an NDIS occupational therapist based on your location, support needs and preferences.
Instead of contacting provider after provider yourself, you can tell the MyCareSpace Connections Team what you are looking for.
They can help look for suitable OTs and talk you through different options for getting started.
This may include:
finding an OT who services your area
looking for someone with experience relevant to your needs
checking which providers have availability
looking at nearby providers
discussing telehealth options.
What if I can’t find an OT near me?
If local occupational therapists have long waitlists, telehealth can be a good option to explore.
Not every type of occupational therapy can be delivered remotely, but telehealth can work well for some people and some types of support.
The MyCareSpace team can talk to you about what OT through telehealth actually looks like, whether it may suit what you need and what options are available.
It can also be a useful way to get started while you are waiting for a local provider.
Talk to MyCareSpace about finding an OT
How does Plan Hero pay your occupational therapist?
If your NDIS plan is managed by Plan Hero, your occupational therapist can send their invoices directly to Plan Hero.
The process is simple:
You receive your occupational therapy service.
Your OT sends their invoice to Plan Hero.
Plan Hero checks the invoice against your plan and funding.
The claim is processed.
Your OT is paid.
This means you do not need to manage each NDIS claim and provider payment yourself.
You can also keep track of your invoices and NDIS budget through Plan Hero.
If you are unsure whether a particular OT service can be paid from your plan, contact Plan Hero before starting the service.
Finding the right OT
The right occupational therapist is not always the one closest to you.
It is important to find someone who has the right experience, understands what you need help with and has availability.
If you are struggling to find someone, MyCareSpace can help you search for an occupational therapist, including local and telehealth options.
If your plan is managed by Plan Hero, Plan Hero can then take care of the OT invoices and payment administration.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does an occupational therapist do?
An occupational therapist helps people take part in everyday activities and become more independent. This may include personal care, cooking, household tasks, mobility, school, work, community access, sensory regulation, equipment and home modifications.
Does the NDIS pay for occupational therapy?
The NDIS can fund occupational therapy where it relates to a participant’s disability and meets the NDIS funding criteria.
Whether a particular service can be paid from your plan will depend on your individual funding and circumstances.
How do I find an NDIS OT near me?
You can search for occupational therapists in your area or use a provider connection service.
Plan Hero partners with MyCareSpace, which can help you look for occupational therapists based on your location, needs and provider availability.
What if there are no OTs available near me?
Telehealth may be worth considering if local OTs have long waiting lists.
The MyCareSpace team can explain what telehealth occupational therapy looks like and help you look at suitable options.
Can my OT send invoices directly to Plan Hero?
Yes. If your NDIS plan is managed by Plan Hero, your OT can send invoices directly to Plan Hero for processing and payment.
Can I use an unregistered OT if I am plan managed?
Plan-managed participants can generally use registered and unregistered providers where the support can be paid from the participant’s NDIS plan and relevant requirements are met.
