Recovery Coach vs Support Coordinator
Recovery coach vs support coordinator compared: focus, training, when each suits you, and whether you can have both in your NDIS plan.
A Psychosocial Recovery Coach and a support coordinator can look similar from the outside, and it is easy to mix them up. Both help you use your NDIS plan, but they focus on different things. This guide compares the two roles side by side — their focus, their training, when each might suit you, and whether you can have both.
The short answer
Focus: what each role is for
Training and background
When each suits you
Can you have both?
Frequently asked questions
What is the main difference between a recovery coach and a support coordinator?
A support coordinator focuses on helping you understand and connect the supports in your plan. A Psychosocial Recovery Coach works through a recovery lens, with a mental-health focus and more time to build your skills, confidence and connection over the longer term. Coordination is part of a…
Which role suits someone with a psychosocial disability?
It depends on your main need. If you mostly need help organising and connecting complex supports, a support coordinator may suit. If you mostly need recovery-focused support — building skills, routines and connection with someone who understands mental health — a recovery coach is often the better…
Can I have both a recovery coach and a support coordinator?
In some situations, yes — where there is a clear need for each, such as complex coordination alongside recovery-focused support. In many cases one role covers what a person needs, and both would overlap. Talk it through with your planner or Local Area Coordinator and be ready to explain the distinct…
What training does a recovery coach have?
Recovery coaches bring either lived experience of mental health, or relevant qualifications and experience in mental health or community services, along with training in recovery-oriented practice. This mental-health grounding is why a recovery coach is often a good fit for people whose main need is…
Are both roles funded the same way?
Both are supports within an NDIS plan, but the level and inclusion of each depends on your individual plan and goals. Rather than assuming a set arrangement, it is best to discuss with your planner or Local Area Coordinator which role, or combination, fits your situation and why.