What Will Support Coordination Look Like From 2028? Understanding the New NDIS Support Coordination and Connection Service

Why is Support Coordination changing?

Support Coordination has become an important part of the NDIS for many participants, particularly people who need assistance to understand their plan, find and coordinate providers, manage changes in their supports and navigate complex situations.

The NDIS currently describes Support Coordinators as helping participants:

The Government has said there are opportunities to improve quality, consistency, safeguarding and clarity around provider roles.

As part of the broader NDIS reforms, a new Support Coordination and Connection function is planned from 1 July 2028.

What exactly is the new Support Coordination and Connection service?

The Government has announced a new commissioned NDIS Support Coordination and Connection service.

The important word here is “commissioned.”

Rather than participants simply accessing Support Coordination through the current model, the future service will be designed and commissioned by government.

The Government says the new service is intended to:

However, there is an important distinction:

The final model has not been decided.

The NDIS and the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing have developed early ideas about how the future service could work.

Feedback from the current consultation will help inform advice to government, which will then make decisions about the final design.

So, if you see information online saying exactly how Support Coordination will operate in 2028, it is important to check whether that information is describing:

✅ confirmed Government policy

or

🟡 a proposal, consultation idea or sector interpretation.

When will the changes happen?

The current announced timeframe is:

1 July 2028

This is when the new commissioned Support Coordination and Connection function is planned to begin.

It sits within a much broader program of NDIS reforms.

For example, the NDIS says:

2027

2028

This means participants should not assume that their current Support Coordination arrangement will suddenly change tomorrow.

The proposed Support Coordination reform is a 2028 change, while other NDIS reforms are occurring earlier.

Will Support Coordination disappear?

No — but the way it is delivered is planned to change.

The Government has specifically announced a new Support Coordination and Connection service.

The NDIS currently says this new service will replace the way participants currently receive Support Coordination services.

That does not mean the need for coordination disappears.

Participants may still need assistance to:

The reform is about how this function is structured and delivered, rather than simply removing the concept of support coordination.

What does Support Coordination look like today?

Under the current NDIS model, there are three levels of Support Coordination.

Level 1 — Support Connection

This helps participants understand their plan and connect with providers, community and mainstream services.

Level 2 — Support Coordination

This helps participants put together and coordinate supports while building their capacity to manage relationships, daily tasks, independence and community participation.

Level 3 — Specialist Support Coordination

This is a higher level of coordination for participants experiencing more complex situations and support environments.

The current NDIS model also emphasises capacity building.

The goal isn't simply for a Support Coordinator to do everything for a participant.

The NDIS says Support Coordinators should help participants develop the confidence and skills to increasingly manage their own supports where appropriate.

So, will Level 1, Level 2 and Level 3 continue after 2028?

This is one of the questions many Support Coordinators and participants will understandably have.

At this stage, we should not assume that the current three-level structure will remain exactly the same.

The Government is currently consulting on the design of the future Support Coordination and Connection service.

The consultation is considering questions including:

Therefore, it is too early to say that Level 1, Level 2 and Level 3 will definitely operate in exactly the same way after July 2028.

The final structure will depend on the Government's decisions following the reform and consultation process.

Will participants still have choice and control?

Choice and control remain important principles of the NDIS, but the future Support Coordination model is still being designed.

Under the current system, participants choose their preferred Support Coordinator when Support Coordination is included in their plan.

The current NDIS process allows a participant to identify their preferred Support Coordinator or provider, after which the NDIS sends a request for service to that provider.

Participants can also change Support Coordinators, subject to the arrangements in their service agreement.

For the 2028 model, however, the precise mechanisms for accessing and choosing a Support Coordination and Connection service are still part of the reform design process.

So it is important not to assume that the current provider-selection process will automatically be identical in 2028.

What does “commissioned” mean?

This is one of the biggest questions surrounding the reform.

A commissioned service generally means government is involved in designing and arranging the service rather than relying entirely on the existing participant-directed purchasing model.

For Support Coordination, the Government has announced that the future function will be a commissioned Support Coordination and Connection service.

But the detailed commissioning arrangements — including exactly how providers will be selected, how services will be accessed and how participant choice will operate — should be understood as part of the ongoing reform design rather than treated as final.

This is particularly important for Support Coordinators and providers planning their businesses for 2028.

What could this mean for Support Coordinators?

There could be significant changes to the way Support Coordinators work.

However, it is too early to predict the exact operational model.

The current consultation specifically seeks feedback about:

1. What the service should do

This could affect the scope and responsibilities of future Support Coordination and Connection workers.

2. Quality

The Government is considering how quality should be supported within the future service.

3. Safeguarding

Safeguarding is specifically identified as an area for improvement and consultation.

4. Service delivery

The Government is seeking feedback about how the service could be delivered.

5. Participant access

The consultation is also looking at how participants can understand, access and coordinate their supports.

For Support Coordinators, this means the next couple of years may be important for understanding and adapting to the new model.

Will Support Coordinators still help participants coordinate providers?

The current NDIS information suggests that coordination and connection will remain important functions.

Today, Support Coordinators are expected to help participants:

The future service is specifically called Support Coordination and Connection, and the Government says it is intended to support participants to understand, access and coordinate their supports.

The exact boundaries of the future role, however, are still being developed.

What could change for participants?

For participants, the biggest potential change may not be the need for coordination, but the way they access it.

Participants and families may eventually need to understand:

These are exactly the types of questions that make the current consultation important.

What should NDIS participants do now?

You don't need to panic or change your Support Coordinator simply because of the 2028 announcement.

The new service is not scheduled to begin until 1 July 2028.

Instead, participants can use this period to make sure their current supports are working well.

A useful checklist:

☑️ Do you understand your current NDIS plan?

☑️ Are your funded supports actually meeting your needs?

☑️ Are your providers communicating effectively?

☑️ Are you getting the services you need?

☑️ Are there barriers affecting your goals?

☑️ Do you understand how your Support Coordination funding is being used?

☑️ Do you have a plan for what happens if a provider stops delivering your support?

☑️ Are your goals and support needs being documented?

☑️ Do you have relevant evidence if your circumstances change?

These are useful things to review regardless of the upcoming reforms.

What should Support Coordinators do now?

For Support Coordinators, this is a good time to focus on quality, documentation, participant outcomes and capacity building.

The current NDIS guidance already expects Support Coordinators to help participants become more independent and develop skills to manage their own supports.

Support Coordinators can therefore consider:

📌 Strengthening participant-centred practice

Make sure the participant's preferences, goals and decisions remain central to support coordination.

📌 Documenting outcomes

Keep clear records of:

📌 Building participant capacity

Where appropriate, don't simply do tasks for the participant.

Help them learn how to:

📌 Maintaining good provider relationships

Complex participants often have multiple services involved.

Clear communication and documented responsibilities can reduce confusion and gaps in support.

📌 Staying informed

The Support Coordination model is currently being developed.

Providers should follow official NDIS announcements rather than relying solely on social media posts, informal industry discussions or assumptions about what the 2028 model will look like.

What about Specialist Support Coordination?

Specialist Support Coordination currently supports participants with more complex situations and barriers.

The current NDIS describes Level 3 as a higher level of coordination for participants with complex needs.

Because the future Support Coordination and Connection model is still under development, it is not appropriate at this stage to state exactly how Specialist Support Coordination will operate after July 2028.

For participants with complex support environments, the important issue will be ensuring that the future system can appropriately respond to:

The Government has specifically identified quality and safeguarding as issues being considered in the new service design.

Does this change Support Coordination funding right now?

Not automatically.

The announcement about the future Support Coordination and Connection service should not be interpreted as meaning that every participant's current Support Coordination funding immediately changes.

The new commissioned function is planned for 1 July 2028.

Participants should continue to follow the arrangements in their current NDIS plan unless the NDIS tells them otherwise.

The NDIS is implementing reforms progressively, rather than changing every part of the Scheme at once.

Why is this change happening?

The Government says the reform is intended to improve:

Quality

More consistent service quality.

Consistency

A more consistent approach to support coordination and connection.

Safeguarding

Stronger consideration of participant safety and protections.

Responsiveness

A service that is more responsive to participant needs.

Access and connection

Better support for participants to understand, access and coordinate their supports.

These are the Government's stated objectives for the reform. The effectiveness of the final model will depend on how it is ultimately designed and implemented.

What does this mean for Openhearted Support?

At Openhearted Support, we believe good Support Coordination should always start with the participant — not the provider.

Our role is to help participants understand their supports, coordinate services, identify barriers and work towards their goals while building confidence and independence.

As the NDIS continues to reform, we will continue to follow official NDIS updates and keep participants, families and carers informed about changes that may affect them.

For participants in Melbourne and across Victoria, having a Support Coordinator who understands the changing NDIS environment can be particularly valuable when multiple providers, services and systems are involved.

Frequently Asked Questions

When will the new NDIS Support Coordination model start?

The Government has announced a new commissioned Support Coordination and Connection function from 1 July 2028.

Will my Support Coordinator stop working with me now?

No automatic change occurs simply because the future model has been announced. The new service is planned for July 2028.

Will I still be able to choose my Support Coordinator?

The current system allows participants to choose their preferred Support Coordinator. The detailed arrangements for participant choice under the new commissioned model have not yet been finalised.

Will Level 1, Level 2 and Level 3 Support Coordination continue?

The current NDIS system has three levels of Support Coordination. However, the future structure of the Support Coordination and Connection service is still being developed, so the continuation of the current structure should not be assumed.

Will Support Coordination funding disappear?

The Government has announced a new Support Coordination and Connection function rather than simply announcing the removal of coordination services. The future funding and access arrangements will depend on the final design.

What does “commissioned” mean?

It indicates that the future Support Coordination and Connection service will be commissioned by government. The detailed provider, access and delivery arrangements are still being developed.

Will Support Coordinators still help participants find providers?

Connecting participants with providers and other supports is currently a key part of Support Coordination, and the future service is intended to help participants understand, access and coordinate supports. The exact future role is still being designed.

Does this change my NDIS plan today?

Not simply because of this announcement. The new Support Coordination and Connection function is planned to begin from July 2028.

Can participants have their say?

Yes. The current consultation is open to people with disability, families, carers, advocates, providers and others in the disability community.

Consultation closes 2 October 2026.

The key takeaway

The biggest message for participants and Support Coordinators is:

Support Coordination is not simply being removed — the way it is delivered is planned to change.

From 1 July 2028, the Government plans to introduce a new commissioned Support Coordination and Connection service.

But we are not at the final design stage yet.

For now:

2026 → Consultation and design

⬇️

2027 → Further NDIS reforms and development

⬇️

1 July 2028 → Planned commencement of the new Support Coordination and Connection function

⬇️

Future → Implementation of the final model

The most important thing is to distinguish between what has been announced and what is still being developed.