Robots and the ICAN tool: What NDIS changes mean for you

Big changes are coming to the NDIS and disability advocates fear artificial intelligence will have too much influence over how funding is awarded. SEE WHAT’S CHANGING & WHY

Computer generated funding models. Intrusive questions asked by officials with no medical qualifications. Big changes are coming to the NDIS and disability advocates fear artificial intelligence will have too much influence over how funding is awarded.

So here’s what’s changing and why it matters.

What’s all the fuss about? 

A new assessment tool called I-CAN version 6 will be rolled out from July next year under the NDIS’ overhauled framework planning model.

Developed by the University of Melbourne and the Centre for Disability Studies, the tool has no fixed questions and instead has 12 subject areas including mobility, behaviour, mental and physical health.

Assessors will not be required to be qualified allied health professionals and instead will only be required to have “soft skills”, such as communication.

The I-CAN assessment tool has been refined over two decades and has been used in a number of settings to assess disability.

AI assessment tools are being rolled out in the NDIS. Picture: Supplied

What does AI have to do with it? 

Results from the assessment interview will be fed into the I-CAN tool that will generate a funding plan for an NDIS participant. Crucially, NDIS staff will not be allowed to amend funding plans and instead can only request a new assessment. Currently computer based tools generate and draft funding plans that are then finalised by assessors.

Why the changes? 

There was a lot wrong with the previous model which required participants to submit medical reports, which can cost taxpayers, or participants thousands of dollars. The NDIA says the changes are about making the assessment process simpler and fairer.

The government is also attempting to cut the costs of the $52 billion a year scheme, which currently supports about 750,000 Australians with disabilities.

What’s been the response? 

More than 5000 people have signed a petition calling for a parliamentary inquiry into the new tool and transparency around how the plan budget will be generated.

Disability advocates fear computer algorithms will be used to calculate funding for vulnerable participants for whom an inaccurate assessment could be devastating and in extreme cases life threatening.

Concerns have been raised about the accuracy of the new NDIS tech. Picture: NewsWire

A key concern is the lack of a transparent pilot of the changes. Instead the NDIA has started secret tests of the tool on volunteer participants, with those involved signing a Non-Disclosure Agreement.

An NDIA spokesperson said the new approach was developed after a review and was being developed in consultation with NDIS participants and the disability community.

“The new Support Needs Assessment will use the I-CAN v6 tool as part of a semi-structured interview that focuses on participants’ strengths and support needs, rather than functional impairments,” said the spokesperson.

“This is not an automated process. Assessments will be conducted by trained and accredited assessors. Participants will continue to have the right to request a review of their plan, including through the Administrative Review Tribunal.”

Originally published as Robots and the ICAN tool: What NDIS changes mean for you