Chair of the Health Coaches Australia and New Zealand Board says she has great empathy with Music and Art Therapists who support people with a disability under the guidelines of the NDIS.
A new operational guideline relating to therapy supports by the NDIS has put both Music and Art Therapists on the outer when it comes to care with people with a disability.
Health Coaches Australia and New Zealand Association (HCANZA) Board Chair, Linda Funnell- Milner says her organisation expresses deep concern over this decision, but also over the exclusion of appropriately accredited health coaches from the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) framework. HCANZA accredited health coaches are highly qualified for their role in supporting patients and their families with therapies which are science based, and research supported.
“The exclusion of HCANZA-accredited health coaches from the NDIS framework is a significant oversight that could negatively impact the quality of life for many Australians living with disabilities. Our coaches provide essential support in achieving health and wellness goals, operating within Core Supports and Capacity Building areas,” Ms Funnell-Milner said.
“HCANZA accredited health coaches are highly qualified for their role in supporting patients and their families with therapies which are science based, and research supported.”
HCANZA emphasises that health coaching, when delivered by accredited professionals, is an evidence-based practice that can significantly enhance participants’ overall well-being, fostering independence and self-eicacy and building skills for the present and confidence in selfcare for the future. HCANZA members in New Zealand are working in an environment which is supported by the New Zealand government which has employed Health Coaches in every general practice since 2022.
“We are committed to maintaining high professional standards and are well-equipped to contribute positively to the NDIS landscape,” Ms Funnell-Milner said. “Our accredited coaches operate under a rigorous code of ethics and stringent standards designed to ensure safe, eective, and client-centred care.”
HCANZA is advocating for:
1. Recognition of HCANZA-accredited health coaches within the NDIS framework
2. Inclusion of health coaching in funding models as part of chronic disease or mental health care plans
3. A shift towards a preventive health-based model in primary care as well as enabling patients to be actively involved in the health journey through patient centred care models.
The association is actively engaging with NDIS decision-makers to advocate for health coaching’s inclusion in funding frameworks, emphasizing its role in achieving participant goals and improving health outcomes.
