Music therapy as a 'reasonable and necessary' NDIS support for people with disability
What is Music Therapy?
Music therapy is a research-based practice. Music therapy is a profession where music is used to actively support people to improve their health and well-being. Music therapists are musicians trained at university. They study how music can affect behaviours and how people feel and think.
Music affects our bodies, our minds and our feelings. It breaks down barriers of disability and builds bridges of communication, helping us to relate to each other better. It has the power to change moods, refocus attention, elicit emotions, express feelings, improve speech, improve gross and fine motor skills as well as promote social interaction and improve quality of life.
Music therapy can be delivered by registered Music Therapists (who must have a post-graduate degree) and by Therapy Assistants under their supervision.
Music therapy and the NDIS
Music therapy has been recognised by the NDIS for inclusion in plans under the support cluster of Therapeutic Supports.
In the NDIS therapeutic supports are defined as supports that assist the participant to gain skills and improve independence related to identified needs in 5 life areas:
- language and communication,
- personal care,
- mobility and movement,
- interpersonal interactions,
- community living to support positive changes in the person's functioning, development and well-being.
More recently Music Therapy has received its own dedicated line item in the NDIS support catalogue which is a huge step forward in actively recognising music therapy as an NDIS funded support. Check the latest price for music therapy using our Price List Search Tool.
You may be thinking "why are you telling me this?" Because its important if you want to be funded for music therapy - you must have goals that the NDIS recognises as being linked to therapeutic supports.
How can music therapy help you achieve you/your child's NDIS goals?
Challenging behaviours, or behaviours of concern, are seen as a major hurdle to community participation for some individuals with a neurological disability.
For these individuals, everyday environmental stimulation can trigger distress, frustration, fear or other unsettling responses that may lead to behaviours of concern.
Music therapy has been shown to provide individuals with positive behaviour support including mood regulation and management of behavioural triggers. Non-pharmacological approaches to mood regulation and behaviour management are increasingly utilised because of the reduced potential for negative side effects
Music therapy can be used to:
- Manage anger and frustration
- Manage challenging behaviour Increasing skills in behaviour regulation
- Promote mood regulation
- Develop a positive behaviour plan
- Increase community participation
- Increase social engagement
Consider these questions when deciding whether Music Therapy is appropriate:
- Is music an important part of your life?
- Would you like to share your music time with other people?
- Would you like to explore ways to express yourself more?
- Could playing music with other people help you feel better?
Information for NDIS Planning
If you want to include music therapy in your plan, you will need to show how music can help achieve one or more of your goals.
For example a weekly group music therapy session might achieve your goal of increasing social interaction: making friends, meeting people, socialising, communicating etc.
Music therapists also support individual young people who have emotional issues and would benefit from the opportunity to express and share their feelings in a safe and caring relationship.
Typical goals that are funded by the NDIS and which Music Therapy could help in achieving:
- To give me opportunities to meet people and make friends
- To increase my social skills
- To help me express my feelings, control my emptions and feel happy
- To encourage me to speak using song
- To maintain or improve mobility, communication and/or cognitive processing
- To improve my social interation with others and learn appropriate behaviour in groups.
- Build my self esteem/confidence.
Sources:
- Australian Music Therapy Association - Music Therapy in Disability Information Booklet
- Understanding the NDIS and how it views Music Therapy
- Gladstone's NDIS now includes music therapy
- What is Music Therapy
- Provider Registration Guide to Suitability (pg 14 & 16)
- Nordoff Robbins Music Therapy Providers
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