Therapeutic Supports referrals for NDIS coordinators

Allied health therapy — occupational therapy, physiotherapy, speech pathology, psychology and dietetics — including the assessments and reports the NDIA relies on. Telehealth widens the pool.

NDIS registration group: Therapeutic supports

What Therapy is under the NDIS

Therapeutic Supports are allied health services funded under a participant's Capacity Building — Improved Daily Living budget. They are delivered by qualified professionals such as occupational therapists, physiotherapists, speech pathologists, psychologists and dietitians, and are designed to build a participant's functional independence, daily living skills and community participation over time.

As well as ongoing therapy, this support type covers the assessments and reports the NDIA relies on — including Functional Capacity Assessments — to understand a participant's needs and decide reasonable and necessary supports. Therapy can be delivered in the clinic, in the participant's home or community, or by telehealth.

Because these supports sit in Capacity Building rather than Core, funding is tied to the category and linked to specific plan goals. Whether a provider must be NDIS-registered depends on how the participant's plan is managed, not on the therapy itself.

What it covers

Who it suits

Refer for therapeutic supports when a participant needs allied health input to build functional capacity — for example an OT for daily living skills and equipment, a physiotherapist for mobility, or a speech pathologist for communication and swallowing.

It also suits participants who need a Functional Capacity Assessment or clinical report to evidence their needs ahead of a plan reassessment.

Best fit is participants with therapy funding in their Improved Daily Living budget and goals tied to independence, health or participation.

How to refer Therapy on Novida

Use Novida to search verified therapeutic support providers by discipline and location, then shortlist those who match the participant's needs. Provider profiles help you check the disciplines offered, NDIS registration status and current capacity or waitlist before you make contact.

Contact your chosen provider directly with a complete referral: participant consent, NDIS number, plan-management type and plan dates, the relevant therapy budget or line items, the discipline and goal or assessment required, preferred frequency, and location or telehealth. The more detail you provide, the faster the provider can confirm suitability and get the participant started.

Novida is free to use and never sits in the middle of the referral. You contact the provider directly and manage the relationship yourself — there is no lead fee, gatekeeping or commission.

What to check before you refer

Therapy — NDIS price limits (2026–27)

How it’s priced

Therapeutic supports are priced per hour, with maximum price limits set in the NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits (the NDIS Price Guide); limits vary by discipline and can differ for remote and very remote areas. Report writing and, where permitted, provider travel may also be claimable — check the current figures at ndis.gov.au rather than quoting a set rate.

Coordinator FAQs — Therapy

Which part of the plan funds therapeutic supports?
Therapeutic supports are funded from the Capacity Building — Improved Daily Living budget, not Core. Because Capacity Building funds are tied to their category, the participant can only spend this allocation on capacity-building supports such as allied health therapy and assessments — they cannot be redirected to Core supports like…
Do therapeutic support providers need to be NDIS registered?
It depends on how the plan is managed. NDIA-managed (agency-managed) participants must use NDIS-registered providers. Plan-managed and self-managed participants can use registered or unregistered providers, provided the practitioner is appropriately qualified. Registration is not legally required for general allied health therapy, but…
Can therapeutic supports be delivered by telehealth?
Yes. The NDIA supports telehealth delivery of allied health therapy, and it is often used to reach participants in regional and remote areas or to reduce wait times. Telehealth sessions are generally claimed at the same hourly price limit as in-person therapy, but providers cannot claim provider travel for a telehealth appointment.…
What is a Functional Capacity Assessment and why does it matter?
A Functional Capacity Assessment is a structured evaluation — usually by an occupational therapist — of how a participant's disability affects daily functioning across areas like self-care, mobility, communication and community access. The NDIA relies on these reports as evidence when building or reassessing a plan. If you are referring…
Can one plan fund several different therapy disciplines?
Yes. A single Improved Daily Living allocation can fund multiple disciplines — for example occupational therapy, physiotherapy and speech pathology — as long as each is reasonable and necessary and linked to the participant's goals. The budget is usually a pooled dollar amount rather than discipline-specific, so coordinators should help…
Can therapy be delivered by an allied health assistant?
Yes. Some therapy can be delivered by an allied health assistant or therapy assistant working under the supervision and delegation of a qualified practitioner. This is usually claimed at a lower price limit than the supervising professional's rate, which can stretch a therapy budget further. The treating clinician remains responsible for…
How are therapeutic supports priced?
Therapeutic supports are priced per hour, with price limits set in the NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits (the Price Guide). Limits vary by discipline and can differ for remote and very remote areas. Some assessments and reports are claimed as therapy time. Providers may also claim for report writing and, where allowed, provider…
Does positive behaviour support fall under therapeutic supports?
Not in the usual sense. While positive behaviour support is a therapeutic intervention, it sits in a separate NDIS registration group and practitioners must be considered suitable by the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission. Providers delivering regulated restrictive practices must be registered. The allied health disciplines covered…
What should a complete therapy referral include?
Send participant consent, NDIS number, plan-management type, the plan end date, and the therapy budget or relevant line items. Specify the discipline, the goal or assessment required, preferred frequency, location or telehealth, and any access needs such as interpreters or mobility requirements. Clear detail lets the provider confirm…

Related NDIS registration groups

How to check a provider’s credentials

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