Email Contact@illawarraspeech.com.
0432487501
FaHCSIA and Better Start for Children with Disabilities Funding
Illawarra Speech Pathology can offer services under Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaHCSIA) funding. This includes the Early Intervention Assistance Funding Package: Helping Children with Autism and the Better Start for Children with Disabilities schemes. Below is the process of accessing this funding:
- A Paediatrician must first diagnose the child with ASD or the disability and provide the family with a letter to an Autism Advisor.
- The Autism Advisor will then provide information regarding eligibility and available funding.
- Bring your ‘letter of introduction’ with you during your first session with Illawarra Speech Pathology, which provides authentication that the funding has been approved.
- The sessions can now begin! At the end of each session, Illawarra Speech Pathology will invoice our consortium who will in turn invoice FaHCSIA. You will also receive a copy of the invoice
- Illawarra Speech Pathology can also provide support for those that have used part of their FaHCSIA funding for an iPad. We can help set up your iPad, download and install specific Speech Pathology applications, such as Proloquo2go, and give detailed explanations on how to use these applications effectively with your child. Using an iPad and these applications can often be very complicated, and downloading the right applications can often be a gamble as there are thousands of applications dedicated to Autism. Illawarra Speech Pathology can recommend specific applications suited to your child and give you the help and direction you need to get you on the right track.
Illawarra Speech Pathology provide half hour Skype sessions on your new FaCHSIA funded iPad and on Proloquo2go. This is ideal for you as you can learn from the comfort of your own home and not have to travel to the practice. Contact Illawarra Speech Pathology now for details and to book your session!
Medicare
FaHCSIA funding only focuses up to 6 year olds. For children aged under 13 years for assessment and under 15 years for treatment other medicare rebates are available:
- A paediatrician must do the referral for these once in a lifetime Medicare items.
- Medicare rebates are available for a total of 4 sessions for assessment (must be under 13) and for a further 20 sessions towards treatment (must be under 15).
Chronic Disease Management (CDM) (formerly Enhanced Primary Care Plan)
The CDM plan gives access to Medicare rebates for up to a total of 5 visits per year to Allied Health Professionals e.g. Speech Pathologists. The GP fills out a CDM plan and lodges it with Medicare. After paying the Speech Pathologist, families can use the invoice and lodge it with Medicare and claim the rebate. People with a CDM plan can use 5 visits every calender year. People of Aboriginal descent may receive another 5 visits per year.
Clients with private health insurance may also be eligible for rebates. Please contact your private health fund for more details.
Please contact us at Illawarra Speech Pathology if you have any further enquiries.