The first meeting with a support coordinator sets up everything that follows. This guide explains what to bring, what the coordinator will ask, what should come out of the meeting and how to judge whether the fit is right.
Whether this is your first support coordinator or your third, the first meeting is the point where the relationship is defined: what the coordinator will do, how you will work together and what happens next. It is also your chance to decide whether this is the right person. MediHealth Connect provides NDIS support coordination across South East Queensland, and this is what a first meeting with one of our coordinators involves.
Bring your current NDIS plan, any previous plans, a list of the providers you use or have used, recent reports from therapists or doctors, and a note of what is working and what is not. If a family member or advocate supports your decisions, involve them. Tell the coordinator in advance about access needs, language, communication preferences and where you would like to meet, at home, at an office or online.
Expect questions about your goals, your daily life, the supports you have and want, what has gone wrong before and what you want from coordination. The coordinator will go through the plan with you, explain each budget and what it can buy, and identify what needs to happen first. They should also explain their own role, including its limits, how often you will be in contact, how to reach them and what happens when they are on leave.
A short priority list. A clear picture of the plan. An agreed way of working: how you will communicate, how decisions will be made, who does what. A service agreement that sets out the coordinator's hours, rates and how to end the arrangement, which you should take away and read rather than sign on the spot. And a date for the next contact.
How many participants do you work with? Where are they, and how well do you know my area? Does your organisation provide other services, and how do you handle referrals to them? What happens when you are on leave? How will you communicate with my providers, my LAC and my family? What would you do if I stopped responding? The answers, and how comfortably they are given, tell you most of what you need to know.
You are not obliged to continue after a first meeting, and a good provider will not pressure you. If the fit is wrong, say so and look elsewhere. Our article on finding the right support coordinator sets out what to look for.
No. Take it away, read it, ask questions and sign when you are satisfied. A provider who insists on signing at the first meeting is showing you something.
Yes, and many participants prefer it. It also lets the coordinator understand your circumstances better. Online or office meetings are fine if you prefer.
Usually an hour to ninety minutes. It should not feel rushed, and it should end with clear next steps.
MediHealth Connect provides support coordination across South East Queensland.