The Self-Management Advisory Group (SMAG) met for the fifth time on 12 August 2025.
The meeting was held online.
Focus of the meeting
The focus of the September meeting was:
- New Planning Framework and considerations for self-management
- Debt Management
- Short Term Respite.
New Planning Framework and considerations for self-management
The NDIA led a follow up presentation on New Planning Framework focusing on considerations for self-management.
The presentation covered the plan management discussion during the Support Needs Assessment process, including how, when and where does self-management come into the journey.
- Prepare for your Support Needs Assessment
- Your Support Needs Assessment meeting
- Receiving your plan
- Using your plan.
Members provided the following feedback:
- Providing participants with a range of resources on plan management prior to the Support Needs Assessment to allow time to consider options.
- The NDIA to take appropriate considerations where participants may want to explore self-management but require more information. The information should be presented in a way that promotes opportunities and flexibility.
- Reports of a lack of understanding of the benefits of self-management and suggestions of enhanced communication resources.
Debt Management
The NDIA provided an update on improvements made to the NDIA’s Debt Management process.
Short Term Respite
The NDIA led a discussion on the engagement report and how the feedback was actioned and incorporated into the Our Guideline – Short Term Respite.
SMAG next meeting
The SMAG’s next meeting is 15 October 2025.