Connect & Grow Magazine: Issue 15: November - December 2024
Over the past few months, with all the changes that are happening in the NDIS space, there has been some increased uncertainty about whether participants with psychosocial disability plans can be renewed and rolled over or have their funding cut. Conversations are being had about who has a psychosocial disability and who is eligible for NDIS funding. These conversations have led to general confusion about what mental health and psychosocial disability are and what the similarities and differences between them. This article will address these fundamental questions by explaining what mental health is and how it relates to the disability sector.
According to The World Health Organization (2024), “Mental health is a state of mental well-being that enables people to cope with the stresses of life, realise their abilities, learn well and work well, and contribute to their community.”
The NHS describes mental health as “more than the absence or management of mental health problems;” it is defined as “the foundation for well-being and effective functioning for individuals and their communities” (Department of Health, 2011).
The Hellenic Psychiatric Association (2017) described mental health from a biopsychosocial model. “The basic principles of the model included the biological, psychological and social dimensions of the person's life and the perception that the person suffers as a whole and not as isolated organs.”
These definitions broadly allow us to understand that mental health is about coping with stress and vulnerability. It’s about having the opportunities to achieve and thrive through education, work, and play. Mental health affects the way we can process what is going on around us and make informed choices. It’s about connection and maintaining relationships with others as well as developing a positive sense of self. Collectively, these concepts describe mental health functioning.
Mental health functioning is about a person’s emotional, psychological, and social well-being, which shapes how they think, feel, and behave. Good mental health typically includes a positive sense of self-worth, resilience in facing challenges, productive relationships, and the ability to cope with crisis.
Challenges in mental health functioning can negatively impact someone’s quality of life and present in several different ways.
These might include difficulties managing emotions, such as persistent sadness, anxiety, or irritability; challenges with emotion regulation; challenges in concentration or decision-making; or withdrawal from social interactions. Impairments in mental health functioning can also affect capacity for working or going to school and can severely impact relationships.
It is here, whilst talking about mental health functioning, where we can see an overlap between mental health illness and psychosocial disability. Still, it is also here where there is confusion between the two. “While everyone living with a mental health condition may be impacted by their condition, not everyone who has a mental health condition will experience psychosocial disability” (NDIS, 2024).
According to NDIS (2024) mental health conditions can qualify as a disability when they result in a "psychosocial disability," meaning they significantly impair function (as we have described above). To qualify for NDIS support, the mental health condition must be permanent or likely to be permanent and must substantially reduce a person's functional capacity in areas such as:
• Communication – Difficulty expressing needs, understanding others, or interacting socially.
• Social Interaction – Challenges in maintaining relationships or engaging with others.
• Learning – Cognitive impairments affecting memory, concentration, or problem-solving.
• Mobility – Difficulty moving around due to the condition.
• Self-care – Struggles with personal care, hygiene, and maintaining health.
• Self-management – Difficulty managing daily tasks, finances, or decision-making.
For NDIS support, the psychosocial disability needs to be assessed as significant enough to require assistance or support for the person to achieve their goals, maintain independence, or participate in social and economic life. The same test applies to psychosocial disability as other disabilities: Is the impairment directly related to the psychosocial disability? Are the proposed supports reasonable and necessary? Do the supports directly relate to the participant's goals?
When faced with questions about eligibility for NDIS funding and what is a psychosocial disability, it might be more helpful to focus on the impact of mental health functioning rather than a mental health diagnosis or condition.
References
Department of Health. (2011). No health without mental health A cross-government mental health outcomes strategy for people of all ages. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a7c348ae5274a25a914129d/dh_124058.pdf
NDIS. (2024). Psychosocial disability | NDIS. Ndis.gov.au. https://www.ndis.gov.au/understanding/how-ndis-works/psychosocial-disability
The Hellenic Psychiatric Association. (2017). Volume 28 Issue 2 - The “Biopsychosocial Model”: 40 years of application in Psychiatry. Www.psychiatriki-Journal.gr. https://www.psychiatriki-journal.gr/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1355&Itemid=928&lang=en
World Health Organization. (2024). Mental Health. World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/health-topics/mental-health#tab=tab_1
Written by
Mark Bint
Mental Health
(c) Break Free Consultancy 2024
Disclaimer: All information is accurate at the time of publication and subject to change