NDIS therapeutic supports provider: pricing and funding basics (2026)

What are NDIS therapeutic supports?

Therapeutic supports are a broad category of funded services that help NDIS participants build skills, maintain function, and achieve their plan goals. They sit primarily under the Improved Daily Living (formerly Capacity Building) budget and include services such as occupational therapy, physiotherapy, speech pathology, psychology, dietetics, exercise physiology, behaviour support, and allied health assistance.

For providers, understanding how therapeutic supports are defined, registered, priced, and funded is not optional — it is a foundational compliance requirement. The 2026 strengthened NDIS Practice Standards and the ongoing registration reform program have sharpened expectations across the board.

Registration groups that cover therapeutic supports

To deliver therapeutic supports and claim payment through the NDIS portal, a provider must be registered under one or more specific registration groups. The most relevant groups include:

• Therapeutic Supports (Group 0128) — the primary group covering most allied health therapy services delivered directly to participants.
• Specialised Support Coordination (Group 0106) — where a therapist provides intensive coordination alongside clinical input.
• Behaviour Support (Group 0110) — specifically for practitioners developing Behaviour Support Plans, which carry additional regulatory obligations around restrictive practices.
• Early Childhood Supports (Group 0118) — where therapeutic intervention targets children aged under seven in early intervention contexts.

Each registration group is subject to its own set of NDIS Practice Standards modules. Providers must satisfy the requirements of every module that applies to their scope of registration. Seeking registration under multiple groups increases audit complexity and requires evidence across all relevant modules.

NDIS Practice Standards applicable to therapeutic supports providers

The NDIS Practice Standards are structured around a core module that applies to all registered providers, plus supplementary modules that apply to specific provider types. For therapeutic supports providers, the following modules are most commonly required:

• Core Module — rights and responsibilities, governance and operational management, the provision of supports, and support planning.
• Supplementary Module: Therapeutic Supports — sets specific standards for assessment, goal-directed intervention, outcome monitoring, and the professional qualifications of practitioners.
• Supplementary Module: Behaviour Support — required if the provider develops or implements Behaviour Support Plans involving regulated restrictive practices.

The 2026 strengthened framework has placed greater emphasis on measurable participant outcomes, documented clinical reasoning, and clear linkage between a participant's plan goals and the therapeutic interventions delivered. Auditors now look for evidence that therapy sessions are goal-directed and that progress (or the absence of progress) is documented and discussed with the participant.

Pricing arrangements and price limits

NDIS therapeutic supports are subject to the NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits (formerly the Support Catalogue). The NDIA updates this document periodically — typically aligned with each new financial year — and providers are required to claim at or below the published price limits for each support item code.

Key pricing principles for therapeutic supports

1. Support item codes — each therapeutic support type has a specific item code (e.g., codes within the 0128 registration group for occupational therapy, physiotherapy, speech pathology). Providers must select the correct code that matches the service actually delivered.
2. Price limits are maximums, not minimums — providers may charge less than the price limit, and in some cases participants may negotiate a lower rate through a service agreement.
3. Travel and non-face-to-face time — the pricing arrangements include specific rules on claiming for provider travel, report writing, care plan preparation, and other non-direct service time. These rules have been tightened in recent years and providers must document time accurately.
4. Telehealth and remote delivery — the NDIS pricing arrangements include provisions for therapy delivered via telehealth. Providers must ensure that telehealth delivery is clinically appropriate, consented to by the participant, and reflected correctly in service records and claims.
5. Group therapy — where therapeutic supports are delivered in a group setting, separate item codes and price limits apply. The per-participant cost is typically lower than individual therapy rates.

Practical steps for pricing compliance

1. Download the current NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits document from the NDIS website and identify every support item code relevant to your service types.
2. Map each code to the corresponding registration group to confirm your registration covers the services you intend to deliver.
3. Review your service agreement template to ensure the agreed price for each support type does not exceed the current price limit.
4. Set up your practice management or billing system to flag any claim that exceeds the price limit before submission.
5. When the NDIS releases an updated pricing document, conduct a prompt internal review and update your systems, service agreements, and fee schedules accordingly.
6. Retain records of the pricing document version in effect at the time of each service delivery, in case of a future audit or payment query.

Funding categories and plan budgets

Most therapeutic supports are funded from the Capacity Building — Improved Daily Living budget category. However, some therapeutic supports may be funded from other budget lines depending on their purpose and the participant's individual plan:

Providers must ensure that claims are made against the correct budget category. Incorrectly claiming Capacity Building supports against a Core budget, or vice versa, constitutes a billing error that can trigger NDIS Commission investigation and potential repayment obligations.

Service agreements and consent requirements

A written service agreement is required for all registered NDIS providers. For therapeutic supports, the service agreement must clearly specify:

• The types of therapeutic supports to be delivered and the relevant support item codes.
• The agreed price for each support type (at or below the current price limit).
• The frequency and anticipated duration of the supports.
• Cancellation and notice period terms, consistent with NDIS pricing rules on short-notice cancellations.
• Arrangements for reviews and transitions if the participant's goals or circumstances change.

The participant (or their nominee or representative) must provide informed consent before therapy commences. For participants who use behaviour support, this extends to consent for any proposed restrictive practice, which must also be authorised through the relevant state or territory guardianship body before implementation.

Incident management and the Code of Conduct

Therapeutic supports providers are bound by the NDIS Code of Conduct, which applies to both the organisation and every worker delivering supports. Under the strengthened 2026 framework, providers must maintain a robust incident management system that:

• Captures all incidents, near-misses, and complaints relating to therapeutic service delivery.
• Classifies incidents according to the NDIS Commission's severity categories and reports reportable incidents to the Commission within the required timeframes.
• Includes a documented review and corrective action process for incidents involving participant harm or risk of harm.

Providers delivering behaviour support carry additional obligations: the use of any regulated restrictive practice must be reported to the NDIS Commission, and the provider must maintain records demonstrating that the practice was authorised, implemented as planned, and regularly reviewed with a view to reduction and elimination.

Worker screening and qualifications

All workers delivering therapeutic supports must hold a current NDIS Worker Screening Check (or the applicable state/territory equivalent). In addition, practitioners must hold the professional qualifications relevant to their discipline — for example, registration with AHPRA for occupational therapists, physiotherapists, and psychologists, or membership of the relevant professional association for speech pathologists and exercise physiologists.

Providers must verify and document worker credentials at the time of engagement and monitor for ongoing registration currency. The strengthened Practice Standards require providers to have a formal workforce management policy that covers recruitment screening, induction, ongoing supervision, and performance review for all therapeutic practitioners.

Audit readiness for therapeutic supports providers

Registered providers undergo certification or verification audits conducted by NDIS Commission-approved quality auditors. For therapeutic supports providers, auditors typically examine:

• Governance documentation — policies, procedures, and governance frameworks aligned to each applicable Practice Standards module.
• Participant records — service agreements, assessment reports, goal plans, progress notes, and outcome measurement tools.
• Worker screening and credential records — evidence of current NDIS screening checks and professional registrations for all practitioners.
• Incident and complaints registers — completeness, timeliness of reportable incident notifications, and evidence of corrective action.
• Billing and financial records — correct use of support item codes, claims within price limits, and documentary support for non-face-to-face time claimed.

Providers preparing for their first certification audit or a re-certification audit often find it valuable to work from a structured compliance kit. The 74-document audit-ready SIL compliance kit available at ndiscompliant.com.au covers many of the core governance documents that therapeutic supports providers also need, including incident management, workforce management, and participant rights policies — a useful starting point before tailoring documents to a therapy-specific scope.

Key steps summary

1. Confirm your registration groups and the Practice Standards modules that apply to your scope.
2. Obtain and review the current NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits for all your support item codes.
3. Audit your service agreement template against current pricing and consent requirements.
4. Verify that all practitioners hold current NDIS Worker Screening Checks and relevant professional registrations.
5. Ensure your incident management system covers classification, reportable incident notification, and corrective action review.
6. Maintain participant records that demonstrate goal-directed, outcome-monitored therapeutic intervention.
7. Schedule an internal mock audit against the applicable Practice Standards modules at least six months before your next certification audit date.