Considering a psychological capacity assessment?
For NDIS participants and their supports, experiencing changes in mood, behaviour, or daily functioning can be common, though oftentimes confusing. You may have even noticed changes in memory, ability to complete everyday tasks, or shifts in social interactions. If you have concerns and have sought help from an allied health or medical professional but still feel unsure of what to do next, a psychological capacity assessment could be the key to understanding and navigating these challenges, whilst still maintaining your quality of life.
Our assessments follow NDIS guidelines. We help you understand how your symptoms impact you. This is done in six domains of the NDIS:
- Mobility
- Communication
- Social interaction
- Self-management
- Learning
- Self-care
Our main goal is to see how your symptoms impact your daily life. We might find some diagnostic information during the assessment. We look at how these symptoms impact your ability to do everyday activities and where you might need support.
Understanding the impact of your symptoms
A psychological capacity assessment provides valuable insights into the areas where you may require additional support. For example, looking at changes in thinking skills can show where support might help with self-management and self-care.
Looking at differences in social and communication skills can help find out what support is needed. This applies to places like home, work, or community settings. Also, looking at what causes changes in mood can help us suggest practical lifestyle changes or specific health interventions.
By clearly outlining the impact of your symptoms across each NDIS domain (mobility, communication, social interaction, self-management, learning, & self-care). These assessments provide a framework to guide the necessary support and intervention that is relevant to your specific needs.
The importance of mental health support
Almost half of Australian adults experience a mental health disorder in their lifetime, though only 17.4% of these individuals seek support (ABS, 2023). Surprisingly, only 7.8% of those who sought support for their mental health saw a psychologist (ABS, 2023). Many people may face barriers to seeking psychological support, including social stigma, lack of accessibility or simply not knowing where to start.
This is especially worrying for people with disabilities or multiple other conditions. They often feel more psychological distress than the general population. Recent research has shown that approximately 8.4% of adults in Australia experience both a mental health disorder and a long-term physical health condition, with this prevalence significantly higher in individuals with severe mental illness (71%; ABS, 2023). Adults with disability have been found to experience higher psychological distress than adults without disability; notably, 76% of individuals with psychosocial disability reported very high
psychological distress, followed by 53% of people with intellectual disability, according to the 2020-21 National Health Survey. This is a marked increase from individuals without disability, of which only 13% reported psychological distress in the previous week (AIHW, 2024).
Understanding the impact of mental health and psychological capacity, even without a formal diagnosis, is essential for addressing presenting physical and psychological health concerns and improving quality of life.
Why consider an assessment at ORS?
At ORS, we recognise the importance of understanding psychological concerns as early as possible to provide informed, targeted intervention. Without intervention, symptoms prevail and impact both physical health and mental health further due to limited access to care, impacted quality of life and even shorter life expectancy (AIHW, 2024).
Our assessments are completed by skilled psychologists who will help you to understand your presenting symptoms and how they impact you in each area of your life.
We understand that mental health issues can affect you even if you do not meet the criteria for a mental health disorder. We offer tailored strategies and advice to help support you and manage your concerns. We will guide you through the process and keep you informed. We will also help you connect with the right support after the assessment.
- Personalised assessment: When you contact us, we take the time to understand your specific concerns. We then customise our assessments to fit your individual needs. This means that we connect you to the best psychologist available who has competency in assessing your particular area of concern.
- Comprehensive input: We gather input from yourself and your supports (with consent) so that our assessment gives a balanced view of your current support needs across different areas of life.
- Clear explanations and recommendations: Unlike many reports that leave people unsure of the factors contributing to their experience, or what to do about them, ORS recognises the importance of providing you with a clear clinical opinion on why you may be experiencing certain challenges, with personalised recommendations on how to best manage them. We understand that identification of what you are experiencing allows for validation, confidence and a clear understanding of your own needs.
- Maximising your strengths: When assessing cognition, we identify both cognitive strengths and areas for improvement. We provide you and your support team with strategies that help you use your strengths, whilst advocating for you in addressing areas that need support.
- Personalised strategies to use across environments: We provide strategies that are tailored for different settings, including school, your workplace, home, allied health teams, and more. Our strategies are relevant and evidence-based.
- Feedback sessions: After the assessment, we give you a chance to talk about the results. You can discuss what they mean for you. You can also check the accuracy of the information. This is a good time to ask any questions you may have. We also explain the support available to you and the ‘where to’ from here, ensuring you are informed and supported.
- Connecting with services: At ORS, we focus on a team approach. We can connect you with our experts in other allied health fields. This allows you to have all of your team in one place, maximising collaboration and a holistic treatment plan.
- Diverse assessments: We can assess cognition, memory, academics, learning, executive functioning, mental health concerns, neurodevelopmental differences, decision-making capacity, and more.
- NDIS focus: Our assessments are in line with NDIS guidelines and are specific in identifying how your presenting concerns impact you in each of the NDIS domains. We may also provide assistance to apply for NDIS where necessary and appropriate.
- Informs treatment plans: Our assessments provide a clear outline and recommendation for any ongoing psychological therapy, allowing for a targeted, effective approach to your care.
For more information on all our Psychological assessments and services check out our psychological assessments page. Alternatively, you can reach us directly on 1800 000 677.
References
Australian Bureau of Statistics (2023, October 5). National Study of Mental Health and Wellbeing. Abs.gov.au. Retrieved December 11, 2024, from https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/health/mental-health/national-study-mental-health-and-wellbeing/2020-2022.
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (2024, July 24). Physical health of people with mental illness. Aihw.gov.au. Retrieved December 17, 2024, from https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/mental-health/physical-health-of-people-with-mental-illness.
