NDIS behaviour support provider registration group
Dear National Disability Insurance Agency,
The NDIS webpage headed "provider finder" (URL: https://ndis.gov.au/participants/working...) listed 3,332 service providers when Registration Group "Behaviour Support" was chosen on 31/8/2024.
I hereby request, under the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act, all information held by the Agency about:
1. how providers are included in the providers listed on the NDIS Provider Finder in the Behaviour Support registration group (including requirement for or recognition of clinical or professional registration for individual clinicians and information about service quality required);
2. how the NDIS ensures quality or standard of service that each listed/promoted provider on its list delivers to NDIS participants is initially assessed and ensured on an ongoing basis; and
3. records of Behaviour Support providers who have been found to not maintain a sufficient standard or quality of service delivery and what the NDIS did about it in each case.
Yours faithfully,
Bob Buckley
Thank you for your email to the National Disability Insurance Agency
(NDIA) Freedom of Information (FOI) team.
Please note: due to a high volume of requests, our ability to respond to
you in a timely manner may be affected. We will action your request as
soon as possible and will endeavour to process your matter within the
legislative deadlines. We may need to seek your agreement to an extension
of time. We appreciate your understanding if this is required.
Participant Information
Did you know the NDIA has other ways to access the documents and
information that we hold?
Participants, Guardians and Nominees can obtain copies of some participant
information through our National Contact Centre (NCC). For more
information about what’s available through the NCC, please contact 1800
800 110.
Please visit our [1]Access to Information webpage to find out more about
accessing information through:
* The [2]Participant Information Access (PIA) scheme
* The [3]Information Publication Scheme (IPS)
* The [4]myplace portal for participants
* The [5]myplace portal for providers
Access to Data
You can also request data and statistics. Please visit our [6]Data and
insights webpage page for further information.
If you are able to obtain your information from a source listed above, you
can withdraw your FOI request by emailing [7][NDIA request email]
Further Information
Information about how to make an FOI request can be found on our website:
[8]Freedom of Information
Should you have a query unrelated to FOI, please contact the Agency by
email at [9][email address] or via webchat at [10]ndis.gov.au.
Alternatively, you can also contact us by phoning 1800 800 110.
Kind regards
Freedom of Information Team
Complaints Management & FOI Branch
General Counsel Division
National Disability Insurance Agency
E [11][NDIA request email]
The NDIA acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout
Australia and their continuing connection to land, sea and community. We
pay our respects to them and their cultures and to Elders past, present
and emerging.
References
Visible links
1. https://www.ndis.gov.au/about-us/policie...
https://www.ndis.gov.au/about-us/policie...
2. https://www.ndis.gov.au/about-us/policie...
https://www.ndis.gov.au/about-us/policie...
3. https://www.ndis.gov.au/about-us/policie...
https://www.ndis.gov.au/about-us/policie...
4. https://www.ndis.gov.au/participants/usi...
https://www.ndis.gov.au/participants/usi...
5. https://www.ndis.gov.au/providers/workin...
https://www.ndis.gov.au/providers/workin...
6. https://data.ndis.gov.au/
https://data.ndis.gov.au/
7. mailto:[NDIA request email]
mailto:[NDIA request email]
8. https://www.ndis.gov.au/about-us/policie...
https://www.ndis.gov.au/about-us/policie...
9. mailto:[email address]
mailto:[email address]
10. https://www.ndis.gov.au/
https://www.ndis.gov.au/
11. mailto:[NDIA request email]
Dear Bob Buckley
Freedom of Information Request: Acknowledgement
Thank you for your request of 31 August 2024, made under the Freedom of
Information Act 1982 (FOI Act), for copies of documents held by the
National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA).
Scope of your request
You have requested access to:
“…The NDIS webpage headed "provider finder" URL... listed 3,332 service
providers when Registration Group "Behaviour Support" was chosen on
31/8/2024. I hereby request, under the provisions of the Freedom of
Information Act, all information held by the Agency about:
1. how providers are included in the providers listed on the NDIS Provider
Finder in the Behaviour Support registration group (including requirement
for or recognition of clinical or professional registration for individual
clinicians and information about service quality required);
2. how the NDIS ensures quality or standard of service that each
listed/promoted provider on its list delivers to NDIS participants is
initially assessed and ensured on an ongoing basis; and
3. records of Behaviour Support providers who have been found to not
maintain a sufficient standard or quality of service delivery and what the
NDIS did about it in each case..."
Processing timeframes
A 30-day statutory period for processing your request commenced from 1
September 2024, in accordance with section 15(5)(b) of the FOI Act.
Therefore a decision on access is due from us by 30 September 2024.
Extension of time
Given I have only recently been allocated your matter, I am writing to
seek your agreement to a 10-day extension of time under section 15AA of
the FOI Act. An extension will allow us to keep your application within
statutory time frames, and should we provide a decision within a new
deadline, allow you to preserve your internal review rights.
If you agree to this extension, the new due date for us to make a decision
on your request will be 10 October 2024. If I need to, I may ask for a
further extension but I am working towards 10 October 2024 if practically
possible.
Section 22 of the FOI Act permits us to provide FOI applicants with access
to edited copies of documents with irrelevant material deleted. We seek
your agreement to treat middle and surnames and contact details of NDIA
staff are irrelevant to your request?
Please reply by 26 September 2024 and confirm if you are agreeable to the
extension and to the use of section 22 on staff middle and surnames and
contact details.
This period may be extended if we need to consult with third parties or
for other reasons. We will advise you if this happens.
Disclosure Log
Information released under the FOI Act may be published on the NDIA’s
disclosure log located on our website, subject to certain exceptions.
If you have any concerns about the publication of information you have
requested, please contact us.
Further help
Please contact us at [1][NDIA request email] if you have any questions or need
help.
We will contact you using the email address you provided. Please advise if
you would prefer us to use an alternative means of contact.
Jennifer
Complaints Management and FOI Branch
General Counsel Division
National Disability Insurance Agency
E: [2][NDIA request email]
The NDIA acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout
Australia and their continuing connection to land, sea and community. We
pay our respects to them and their cultures and to Elders past, present
and emerging.
Dear foi,
I am aware that you will take whatever time you want ... whether or not I grant an extension. My action at this point will make no difference whatsoever.
On this basis I grant a 10-day extension.
Yours sincerely,
Bob Buckley
Dear Bob Buckley
Thank you for your request for information.
Please find attached correspondence in relation to your request. If you
require this in a different format, please let us know.
Please contact us at [1][NDIA request email] if you have any questions or
require help.
Kind regards
Jennifer (JFD472)
Senior Freedom of Information Officer
Complaints Management & FOI Branch
General Counsel Division
National Disability Insurance Agency
E: [2][NDIA request email]
[3]Title: NDIS delivered by the National Disability Insurance Agency
[4]LGBTIQA+ rainbow graphic
The NDIA acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout
Australia and their continuing connection to land, sea and community. We
pay our respects to them and their cultures and to Elders past, present
and emerging.
[5]Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags graphic
Dear National Disability Insurance Agency,
Please pass this on to the person who conducts Freedom of Information reviews.
I am writing to request an internal review of National Disability Insurance Agency's handling of my FOI request 'NDIS behaviour support provider registration group'.
Yours response states
> Regarding item 1 of your scope, ADA confirmed that the list of providers on the NDIS Provider Finder in the Behaviour Support registration group on the NDIA website is sourced from the NDIS Commission. ADA further informed me that the NDIS Commission is responsible for the management of these providers, including any requirements for or recognition of clinical or professional registration for individual clinicians and information about service quality.
I do not believe that the process described for putting "providers on the NDIS Provider Finder in the Behaviour Support registration group" is completely undocumented; that the FoI branch was able to obtain this information without there being any information about it on record. I do not believe that there is no agreement between the NDIA and the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission relating to "responsible for the management of these providers". I believe such information exists and lies within the scope of my request, but the NDIA refused to provide it ... or to justify why it should not be provided.
A full history of my FOI request and all correspondence is available on the Internet at this address: https://www.righttoknow.org.au/request/n...
I believe that there is information that lies within the scope of my request that the Agency should provide. Please conduct an internal review accordingly.
Yours faithfully,
Bob Buckley
Dear Bob Buckley
Thank you for your request for review.
Please find attached correspondence in relation to your request. If you
require this in a different format, please let us know.
Please contact us at [1][NDIA request email] if you have any questions or
require help.
Kind regards
Patrick (PHO293)
Senior Freedom of Information Officer
Complaints Management & FOI Branch
General Counsel Division
National Disability Insurance Agency
E: [2][NDIA request email]
[3][IMG]
The NDIA acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout
Australia and their continuing connection to land, sea and community. We
pay our respects to them and their cultures and to Elders past, present
and emerging.
Renee left an annotation ()
The FOI response in this document from the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) effectively refuses access to the requested documents, citing that they either do not exist or cannot be located, according to Section 24A of the FOI Act. It appears they transferred responsibility to the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission, claiming that the Commission, not the NDIA, manages the behavior support provider information and the standards they maintain. This deferral suggests a significant gap in accountability, as it places the onus back on the requester to reapply with another agency, rather than providing a cooperative inter-agency response. This approach can certainly raise questions about transparency, especially if critical documentation related to provider quality and compliance is dispersed or potentially inaccessible across agency boundaries.