The TAC can pay the reasonable cost of Support Navigation services to assist TAC clients to achieve transport accident-related injury goals.

Support Navigation services assist clients who require additional support to coordinate and navigate service systems to get their Life Back on Track (LBoT). These services put the client at the centre of planning, focusing on their needs, motivations and participation goals.

Clients can access different levels of Support Navigation depending on their goals, the complexity of their support needs and the extent to which the TAC is liable for their supports:

Tier 1:

Case Management
Case Management is a time-limited service which assists clients with transport accident-related disability to engage and coordinate their supports or navigate service systems to achieve their transport accident-related injury goals.

Specialised Housing Case Management
Specialised Housing Case Management is a Case Management service for clients with transport accident-related disability which specialises in client housing needs.

Community Access Planning
Community Access Planning services support clients with transport accident-related disability to connect with meaningful community engagement and recreation opportunities.

Tier 2:

Assertive Outreach
Assertive Outreach is a specialised form of Case Management support for TAC clients with transport accident-related disability or injuries who are hard to reach, experiencing crisis or have disengaged from supports. The service supports clients with complex disability or psychosocial support needs through active and persistent measures to (re)engage with services and achieve transport accident injury goals.

Rehabilitation service
The term rehabilitation service refers to the provision to or for a person for the purpose of rehabilitation of any aid, treatment, counselling, appliance, apparatus or other service (other than a disability service or a hospital service), the provision of which is an authorised service in accordance with section 23 of the Transport Accident Act.

Disability service
The term disability service refers to the provision to or for a person who is disabled as a result of an injury in a transport accident of any service (other than a rehabilitation service or a hospital service) relating to attendant care, assistance, accommodation support, community access, respite care or household help, the provision of which service is an authorised service in accordance with section 23 of the Transport Accident Act

Disability
In the context of schedule 2 authorised disability services, the term disability in respect of a person, means a disability that is:

• Attributable to an intellectual, psychiatric, sensory, physical or neurological impairment or acquired brain injury or any combination of those impairments caused by injuries received in a transport accident; and
• Which is permanent or likely to be permanent, and which:
  • causes a substantially reduced capacity of the person for communication, learning or mobility in at least one of the areas of self-care or self-management; and
  • requires significant ongoing or long-term episodic support; and
  • is not related to ageing; or
  • a pre-existing intellectual disability; or
  • a pre-existing developmental delay; or
  • a pre-existing psychiatric illness/condition.

Clinical Framework

The TAC expects Support Navigation providers to integrate the principles of the Clinical Framework for the Delivery of Health Services (Clinical Framework) in their daily practice.

This includes:

• measuring and demonstrating the effectiveness of services
• adopting of a biopsychosocial approach
• empowering the client to manage their injury
• implementing goals focused on optimising function, participation and/or return to work/health
• basing services on best available research evidence.

Professional Standards

Standards set a guideline that govern the practice of Support Navigation:

• Skill
  Providers must only deliver Support Navigation in areas of specialisation, using existing networks, knowledge and proven best practice.
• Independence
  Providers should enable client self-determination, recognise the client’s individual rights, choices and decisions. Providers should not foster client dependence.
• Wellbeing
  Services should advance the client’s wellbeing and aim to strengthen the client’s support system. Services must be culturally safe and demonstrate respect for a diversity of identities and lived experiences.
• No harm
  Providers must do no harm intentionally and/or unintentionally. The TAC recognises a client’s vulnerability when providers hold the power to assess, plan, implement, coordinate, monitor and evaluate options and services.
• Dignity
  Providers must maintain the reasonable privacy and dignity of clients. This includes compliance with legislated obligations which protect personal and health information.
• Justice
  Providers hold a duty of care to treat the client and their support system fairly and without malice, bias or prejudice. Providers must make all efforts to ensure that they do not breach the human rights of clients.
• Truth
  Providers must be truthful, accountable and professional.

Concurrent Services

In general, the TAC does not pay for multiple Support Navigation services at the same time. This is because:

• the support provided by one provider may counteract or duplicate the support of another provider
• the client may receive conflicting advice

The TAC may consider paying for concurrent Support Navigation services in exceptional circumstances when it is justified and approved by the TAC as part of a coordinated support plan. When providing concurrent services, Support Navigation providers are expected to work in close communication to ensure that supports and goals are aligned.

Conflict of interest

Providers are expected to deliver services in line with the TAC’s policy on Funding Treatment by a Member of the Client's Immediate Family.

Under the Transport Accident Act 1986 (the Act), the TAC can pay for the reasonable cost of a range of specified types of services. This includes rehabilitation and disability services that have been authorised by the TAC to assist with the client's rehabilitation or to support and assist them with their disability. These services require written approval before they are provided. The services must be performed and received in Australia, meaning the client and the provider must be in Australia to be eligible.

Case Management, Community Access Planning and Multiple and Complex Needs Model services have been authorised by the TAC as disability services to support and assist a client with accident-related disability in circumstances where it is needed. For full details of the authorisation, please refer to Schedule 2 Authorised Disability Services which includes what supports can be provided and the criteria for who can perform them.

Assertive Outreach services have been authorised by the TAC as a Rehabilitation expense to facilitate transport accident-related injury goals in circumstances where it is needed. For full details of the authorisation, please refer to Schedule 1 Authorised Rehabilitation Services which includes what services can be provided and the criteria for who can perform them.