Is my mental health condition a 'disability'?

If you're new to this and just want to know what the NDIS is all about, check out this video and give us a call. We're here for you every step of the way and want to see you reach your full potential. What can you achieve with Castle?

What is the NDIS? According to Young People

Visit our NDIS Programs to learn about the different support we offer.

Castle will listen to you and work with you to make sure you get the most out of your NDIS journey.

• We offer person-centred supports that provide you with hands-on experience to learn real-life skills. This gives you the opportunity to gain confidence in making friends, communicating with others and confidence to live your life.
• Castle provides practical support to help you build skills to live independently, do jobs around the home, read timetables to catch public transport, plan, prepare and cook meals, and make smart decisions when shopping.
• Whether you need help getting job-ready, training, education, searching for jobs, writing a resume, preparing for interviews, or accessing transport, we’ve got you covered. We can prepare you for work by supporting you to complete personalised employment learning modules, then connect you with our Employment Services team to help you find and keep a job.
• Castle will support you to do more of what you want to do. Maybe it's music, creative arts or going to the gym. We offer a variety of group activities, both indoors and outdoors and other one-off special events that will let you enjoy your hobbies and interests with others.

Navigating the NDIS can be challenging, especially when rules and legislation change. The government regularly updates the NDIS framework to improve how the scheme works, but we understand these changes can cause apprehension, confusion and frustration for participants and their families.

We know how important it is to feel supported and informed, particularly when things shift. That’s why we’re focused on providing clear guidance and tailored support to help you stay confident and in control of your plan.

At Castle, we’re committed to:
✅ Delivering goal-focused, valuable supports that truly make a difference
✅ Ensuring all support activities align with the participant’s NDIS plan, funding type and goals
✅ Keeping clear, simple records of how we’re supporting participants so they can show how their funding is making an impact

✅ Working with participants to make sure that their funding will cover the supports they want for the whole funding period

Here are a few tips to help you to make the most of your NDIS plan:

1. Know your goals – Make sure you understand the goals in your plan so you can use your supports to focus on what matters most to you.
2. Ask questions – If you are not sure how a support helps you to reach your goals, speak up! We are here to explain and make sure you feel confident in your supports.
3. Stay on budget – If you get a new plan from May 2025, your funding may be allocated in smaller amounts over shorter time periods. It is worth checking to see if this applies to you, so that you can make sure you aren’t left short.
4. Stay involved – Remember, you have choice and control over how your supports are delivered. It’s your plan and it should work for you – but remember, your supports must still be related to your disability and your goals.
5. Keep communication open – Talk to us, your support coordinator or caregiver if something isn’t working for you. We welcome your feedback and we are here to help you to get the most from your NDIS funding.

If you have any questions or want to chat about how the changes might affect you, we’re here to help!

Your NDIS provider is YOUR CHOICE and Castle recognises that it is a privilege to support you to achieve your goals and live life your way.

Whichever provider you choose, they are there to support you in your journey and make sure you have access to the resources you need to achieve your goals.

Every provider is different so it's important to consider what YOU want to achieve before choosing your support team. If you are an NDIS participant you can use the Provider Finder in the myplace portal where you are able to search and filter the provider lists.

If you decide that Castle is the provider you would like to choose, please reach out to us using the form below.

'Mental health condition’, ‘mental illness’, 'psychosocial disability' and other terms, are used to describe a range of disorders that can affect thoughts, emotions and behaviours, that vary in both severity and duration. These conditions can include depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, PTSD, substance use, schizophrenia and many others.

While some people may not be significantly impacted in their daily lives, others may face severe challenges in functioning within the community, at home, and in the workplace. When a mental health condition severely affects a person's daily life, self-care and community participation, it may be considered a 'psychosocial disability'.

Whilst labels like 'disability' may not be relevant to some people's experience, it is important to understand the distinctions with which conditions can unlock vital financial support schemes.

Inclusive Employment Australia

If you live with anxiety, depression or another mental health condition you may be eligible for the Inclusive Employment Australia program. You don't necessarily need to be diagnosed with a 'psychosocial disability', only that your mental health condition affects your capacity to work in some way. This can be verified by a treating medical practitioner through this Centrelink form.

NDIS Services

If a person's mental health condition is considered a 'psychosocial disability', they may be eligible for NDIS support, however, a diagnosis of a condition in itself is not enough. Download the Psychosocial Disability Access Factsheet 2: Impairment and psychosocial disability in the NDIS here https://www.ndis.gov.au/understanding/how-ndis-works/psychosocial-disability/applying-ndis-people-psychosocial-disability