The Australian Government has confirmed that support coordination will move to a new commissioned model from 1 July 2028.
What’s happening
The Australian Government has confirmed that support coordination will move to a new commissioned model from 1 July 2028.
The Department of Health, Disability and Ageing and the NDIA have released a consultation paper on the new Support Coordination and Connection (SCC) service, and they want to hear from providers and support workers before the design is settled.
Submissions are open now and close on 2nd October 2026.
Right now, participants use funding in their own plans to access support coordination from an open market of around 11,000 support coordinators. Under the proposed model, the NDIA would directly commission organisations to deliver SCC services across defined regions, and participants would no longer hold that funding in their plans.
The reform responds to long-running concerns about inconsistent quality, unclear role boundaries, conflicts of interest where one organisation delivers both coordination and direct services, thin markets in regional and remote areas, and the limits of the current hourly fee-for-service model.
The proposed service sits at two levels. These are:
- SCC is for people who need ongoing help to connect with and coordinate their supports.
- SCC+ is for a smaller group of people with very complex circumstances, higher safety considerations and a higher risk of losing connection to services.
The paper is also clear about what the service would not do – workers would not make decisions for people, manage their money, provide advocacy, or deliver crisis response.
What it means for providers
The biggest shift is from an open market to a commissioned one.
The NDIA’s early preference is a lead organisation model, where one organisation per region is responsible for delivering or coordinating all SCC services in that area. That would mean fewer approved providers, a formal procurement process expected before mid-2028, and contracts carrying consistent national standards, performance reporting and a defined governance framework.
The paper flags partnerships and sub-contracting as ways specialist and community-controlled organisations could stay involved, particularly in thin markets and for culturally specific support.
What it means for the workforce
The NDIA has said it recognises the expertise, skills, and relationships held by current support coordinators and psychosocial recovery coaches, and continuity of trusted relationships is a priority for the transition.
Some current organisations will become SCC providers and others will not, and there may be opportunities for current staff to move into SCC worker roles. Psychosocial recovery coaches are likely to have a pathway into SCC work for people with psychosocial disability.
Nothing changes before 1 July 2028, and current arrangements continue until then.
Have your say!
This is early thinking, not a final design.
The consultation questions ask directly about workforce, quality, safeguarding, regional access and what would make transition smooth. If you coordinate supports, or work alongside people who do, your living experience of the current system is exactly what the department is asking for. You can make a written submission or submit a video, including in Auslan.
Submissions close 2nd October 2026. You can make your submission through the Department’s consultation page: Make a submission on the SCC reform
This is IMPORTANT! NOW is the time to have your say.
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Author: Amanda Robinson (She/Her) BA, MMHealthPrac.
Dja Dja Wurrung and Taungurung Country
Amanda, Head of Learning and Development and an experienced specialist in NDIS and Aged Care, promotes capability and sustainability within the disability and health sectors. With over 15 years of experience, a Master’s in Mental Health Leadership and Management, and an MBA underway, she offers extensive expertise and personal insight as someone with lived experience of disability. A military veteran and dedicated carer of a veteran, Amanda advocates for Human Rights, striving to reduce stigma and eliminate barriers for those with disability and mental health challenges. She is enthusiastic about fostering strong stakeholder relationships through her advocacy, communication, strategic thinking, and analytical abilities.
