Psychology · Mental Health · NDIS

Psychology and Mental Health Support Under the NDIS: What Participants Need to Know

By Shilpi Ashta, Specialist Behaviour Support Practitioner (Advanced) & Registered Clinical Counsellor · Aceso Therapy · Updated October 2026

When Disability and Mental Health Intersect

For many people living with disability in Australia, mental health is not a separate concern. It is woven into everyday experience. A person with autism spectrum disorder may carry significant anxiety. Someone with an acquired brain injury may live with depression that compounds their rehabilitation challenges. A child with an intellectual disability may have experienced trauma that shapes their behaviour and relationships. These intersections are common, and they matter enormously to quality of life.

The National Disability Insurance Scheme recognises this. Psychology and mental health support are legitimate, fundable services under the NDIS, and participants across Sydney and the Hills District are increasingly accessing them as part of a well-rounded support plan. Yet many participants and their families are unclear about exactly what is covered, how to access it, and what to expect from a psychologist working within the NDIS framework.

This article sets out the essential facts: what the NDIS funds, how to navigate your plan, the difference between psychology and counselling under the scheme, and how to get started if you or your family member would benefit from psychological support.

Does the NDIS Fund Psychology?

Yes. Psychology is a funded support under the NDIS. It sits within Support Category 15, which is known as Improved Daily Living. This budget line is designed for capacity building supports that improve a participant's ability to engage in daily life activities, develop skills, and increase independence over time.

When psychology is included in a plan, it typically appears under the line item for Assessment, Recommendation, Therapy and/or Training by Psychologists (Support Item 15_056_0128_1_3). The NDIS price guide sets the relevant hourly rate, and sessions are claimable against the Improved Daily Living budget. Not all plans will automatically include psychology funding; whether it appears depends on the goals identified during planning, the evidence submitted at planning meetings, and the functional impact of the participant's disability on their daily life.

What Types of Psychology and Mental Health Support Does the NDIS Fund?

The NDIS funds psychology as a therapeutic intervention that is directly related to a participant's disability. This is an important distinction. The support must be reasonable and necessary, meaning it must relate to the functional impact of the disability rather than to general mental health needs that fall outside the scheme.

Within that scope, a wide range of evidence-based modalities may be funded, including:

• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) for anxiety, depression, and trauma-related presentations
• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), which builds psychological flexibility and values-based living
• Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), particularly relevant for emotional regulation difficulties
• Trauma-focused therapies, including trauma-informed CBT and narrative approaches
• Behavioural assessments and functional behaviour analysis
• Psychological assessments to clarify diagnosis and inform support strategies
• Individual therapy sessions targeting specific disability-related goals
• Group therapy programs where they are clinically appropriate
• Parent coaching and carer capacity building from a psychological framework

For participants with psychosocial disability, psychology may also form part of a broader recovery-oriented support plan, working alongside support workers, occupational therapists, and other allied health professionals.

Psychosocial Disability vs a Mental Health Condition: Understanding the Difference

This distinction trips up many participants and families, and it is worth addressing clearly.

A mental health condition, such as depression, schizophrenia, or borderline personality disorder, is a clinical diagnosis made by a qualified practitioner. Having a mental health condition does not automatically make a person eligible for the NDIS.

Psychosocial disability refers to the functional impact that a mental health condition has on a person's ability to engage in daily activities. The NDIS is concerned with disability, not diagnosis. So what matters is not simply the label but the degree to which the condition limits a person's capacity to participate in daily life on a sustained basis.

A person whose mental health condition causes significant and persistent functional impairment across multiple life domains may well be eligible for the NDIS as a participant with psychosocial disability. Once in the scheme, they may access psychology and other allied health supports to improve their functional capacity, build skills, and work toward recovery.

How Is Psychology Different from Counselling Under the NDIS?

Psychology and counselling are distinct professions with different registration requirements, and the NDIS treats them differently in practice.

Psychologists in Australia are registered with the Psychology Board of Australia under the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA). To work under the NDIS, a psychologist must be registered as an NDIS provider or work within a registered provider organisation. They are able to conduct formal psychological assessments, provide expert reports, and deliver evidence-based therapeutic interventions. Their services are typically funded through Support Category 15 at the relevant NDIS price limit.

Counsellors, including Registered Clinical Counsellors, are not regulated under AHPRA but may hold membership with peak bodies such as the Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia (PACFA) or the Australian Counselling Association (ACA). Counselling supports may also be funded through the NDIS, typically under Support Category 9 (Increased Social and Community Participation) or Category 15, depending on the nature of the support and how it is described in the plan. Counselling tends to focus on emotional support, coping strategies, and processing life experiences, and it can be a valuable complement to formal psychology.

At Aceso Therapy, our Registered Clinical Counsellor can provide therapeutic counselling supports to NDIS participants, and our team can assist in clarifying which service best matches your goals and plan funding.

What Conditions Does NDIS Psychology Support?

Psychological support through the NDIS is relevant across a broad range of presentations where disability and mental health intersect. Common presentations our team works with in the Hills District and greater Sydney area include:

• Anxiety disorders, including generalised anxiety, social anxiety, and specific phobias, particularly in participants with autism, intellectual disability, or ADHD
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and complex trauma histories
• Depression and mood-related difficulties arising from or compounded by disability
• Autism spectrum disorder, where psychological support addresses co-occurring anxiety, emotional regulation, and social participation challenges
• Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), including strategies for executive function and emotional regulation
• Intellectual disability, where psychology informs positive behaviour support and capacity building
• Dual diagnosis presentations, where a participant has both an intellectual disability and a co-occurring mental health condition
• Psychosocial disability, including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and related conditions with significant functional impact

How to Access Psychology Through Your NDIS Plan

Accessing NDIS-funded psychology involves a few practical steps. The process is straightforward once you know what to look for.

Step 1: Review Your Plan

Open your NDIS plan and look at the Capacity Building budget. Check whether Support Category 15 (Improved Daily Living) contains a line item for therapeutic supports or psychology. The description may read broadly as "assessment, therapy and/or training" rather than naming psychology specifically. If you manage your own plan (self-managed) or use a plan manager, you have more flexibility in choosing providers. Agency-managed participants must use NDIS-registered providers.

Step 2: Speak with Your Support Coordinator or LAC

If psychology does not appear in your current plan but you believe it should, your Support Coordinator or Local Area Coordinator (LAC) can assist you in preparing evidence for a plan review or an unscheduled review request. A letter of recommendation from your treating psychologist or GP, combined with a functional assessment, will strengthen the case significantly.

Step 3: Make a Referral

Once you have confirmed the funding is in place, contact a registered NDIS psychology provider in your area. Provide the provider with a copy of your relevant plan page, your NDIS participant number, and your preferred contact and scheduling details. Most providers will conduct an initial intake conversation to ensure the service is the right fit before booking a formal first appointment.

Telehealth and Mobile Psychology Options in Sydney

Access to psychology should not be limited by geography or transport barriers. For participants across the Hills District and greater Sydney, telehealth has significantly expanded the options available.

Psychology sessions delivered via video call are an accepted NDIS support format and are claimed at the same rates as in-person sessions in most cases. Many participants find telehealth works well for ongoing therapeutic work once the initial therapeutic relationship has been established. It removes the burden of travel, suits participants with sensory sensitivities who find clinical environments challenging, and makes consistency of attendance easier to maintain.

For participants who require in-home or community-based support, mobile psychology services can also be arranged where a psychologist visits the participant at home, school, or a community setting. This approach is particularly valuable for children with autism or complex needs, and for participants whose disability significantly restricts their ability to travel to a clinic.

At Aceso Therapy, we support participants across the Hills District including Castle Hill, Baulkham Hills, Kellyville, Rouse Hill, and surrounding suburbs. We offer telehealth options and can discuss community-based arrangements where appropriate.