Centre of Hope provides Support Coordination for NDIS participants who are involved with the justice system, including people preparing to return to the community after being in custody.
To receive Support Coordination from Centre of Hope, the participant must have an active NDIS plan with funding available for Support Coordination. Our work is paid for from that NDIS funding, which is why we are not able to take on referrals where there is no plan in place yet.
If a person does not currently have an NDIS plan and has a permanent and significant disability that affects their everyday life, they may still be eligible. The NDIS on 1800 800 110 or a local area coordinator (LAC) can talk through NDIS access and what happens next. It is worth the call.
Most NDIS providers will not work with participants involved with the justice system. We do. Our team has experience coordinating with Corrections NSW, Parole, Community Corrections, courts, and Forensic Mental Health, alongside delivering the NDIS supports the participant is funded for.
Read the full guideAsk about justice and re-entry support.
Leave your details and our team will call you to talk through your NDIS plan and the support you are after. No pressure, and no obligation.
Prefer to talk now? Call 0432 250 900, weekdays 9am to 5pm.
Referring someone as a support coordinator, health worker or other professional? Use our referral form.
Coordinating the supports you need through the transition.
We understand that leaving custody and returning to the community can be challenging, particularly for people living with disability or complex support needs. Our Support Coordinators work with participants, their families, guardians and relevant services to help organise and coordinate the disability supports they need.
We can support participants to:
- understand their NDIS plan and available funding
- connect with suitable NDIS providers and disability supports
- coordinate supports before and after returning to the community
- connect with allied health professionals and behaviour support services where funded and required
- coordinate with accommodation and disability support providers
- communicate with relevant health, disability and justice services where appropriate and with the participant's consent
- support continuity of disability supports during transitions
- monitor NDIS funding and help participants make effective use of their plan
- build their capacity to understand and manage their supports
- advocate for their disability-related support needs within the NDIS system.
In practice, that looks like this.
Pre-release planning
Coordinating from inside custody: housing, health, medication and supports, ready for release day.
Housing coordination
Working with Housing NSW, SIL providers, transitional accommodation, and families to secure housing.
Health continuity
Coordinating with prison health, community health, GPs, and specialists so care continues after release.
Mental health support
Working with Forensic Mental Health Services, community teams, and Recovery Coaches.
Parole & corrections liaison
Liaising with parole officers, Community Corrections, and case managers to align NDIS with justice requirements.
NDIA advocacy
Advocating for plan changes and appropriate funding levels for participants the NDIA often gets wrong.
Family coordination
Reconnecting with family supports where appropriate, including child access and family violence considerations.
Reducing reoffending
Real supports reduce risk. Stable housing, mental health, employment, and connection are the work.
This service is for NDIS participants with justice system involvement.
Every person listed below must have an active NDIS plan with Support Coordination funding.
Our focus is helping NDIS participants navigate their disability supports and work towards a safer, more supported transition and life in the community.
- Participants currently in custody preparing for release
- Participants recently released and needing supports in place
- Participants on parole, bail, or community corrections orders
- Participants at risk of incarceration who need stable supports to prevent it
- Participants involved with Forensic Mental Health Services
- Family members, guardians and advocates acting for a participant who already has NDIS funding
Four steps. One steady team.
Justice and re-entry coordination is long-haul work. Our process gives it structure and consistency.
Intake & assessment
Comprehensive intake covering NDIS status, justice status, health, housing, family, and immediate priorities.
Pre-release coordination
For participants in custody, coordinating housing, supports, medication, and team for release day.
Active post-release support
The first weeks and months matter most. We are actively present to coordinate, advocate, and respond.
Build stability
Over time, supports stabilise, risks reduce, and the participant builds the life they want. We stay alongside.
How the NDIS funds Justice & Re-Entry Support
This service is generally delivered under Level 2 (Coordination of Supports) or Level 3 (Specialist Support Coordination) in your NDIS plan. Under the NDIS Pricing Schedule 2026-27 the price limits are $100.14/hr (Level 2) and $190.54/hr (Level 3). Most justice-involved participants require Level 3 due to complexity.
The NDIA does not fund custodial supports themselves, as these are the responsibility of Corrections. The NDIS funds the disability-related supports the participant would receive in the community, plus coordination of their broader supports.
What we do not do. Centre of Hope's role is to coordinate NDIS-funded disability supports. We do not provide legal representation or replace the responsibilities of courts, corrective services, health services or other mainstream government services.
The way we work with you.
Prompt response
We respond to every enquiry within one business day. Urgent matters sooner.
No judgement
We work with the person, not the file. Past behaviour doesn't define the supports you deserve.
Rigorous documentation
Justice work needs clear records. Every contact and decision documented for the participant's protection.
Your privacy
Information shared only on a need-to-know basis, with your consent where possible.
Honest advocacy
We push back on NDIA decisions that get justice-involved participants wrong. Often.
Long-haul partnership
Justice and re-entry work is long-term. We're built for it, not for short-term contracts.
Good questions, honest answers.
Can someone in prison have an NDIS plan?
Yes. People with disability in custody can have an NDIS plan. The NDIA does not fund supports duplicated by Corrections (e.g. accommodation), but funds disability-related supports the person would otherwise receive in the community, plus pre-release planning. Our service begins once an NDIS plan with Support Coordination funding is in place. If there is no plan yet, the NDIS or a local area coordinator can advise on eligibility and the application process.
Why do most NDIS providers refuse to work with justice-involved participants?
Stigma, risk-aversion, and lack of training. The reality is that justice-involved participants often have the highest support needs and the fewest providers willing to work with them. We've built our practice precisely because of that gap.
How early can pre-release planning start?
Ideally 3 to 6 months before release, and once NDIS funding is in place. We can work with Corrections Welfare, the inmate's Case Manager, and external supports to coordinate housing, medication and supports so release day isn't a crisis.
Can I refer a family member who is in custody?
Yes. Family members, guardians and advocates make referrals frequently. Two things are needed: the person's consent, and an active NDIS plan with Support Coordination funding. The initial conversation can be with you.
What does the NDIS cover for justice-involved participants?
Generally: support coordination, allied health (especially psychology and behaviour support), some support work, assistive technology, and capacity building. The NDIS does NOT fund: legal fees, court costs, fines, accommodation in custody, or supports duplicated by Corrections.
Where do you provide this service?
We are a registered NDIS provider supporting participants across all of NSW, including in correctional centres where access is permitted. Most coordination is by phone, email, video link, and in-person meetings as appropriate.
Justice involvement does not mean no support.
Whether you're a participant, a family member, or an agency worker looking for the right NDIS provider, our team is here to help. Email any time, or call us during business hours.
Centre of Hope Pty Ltd · ABN 89 669 596 936 · Registered NDIS provider 4050161679 · verify on the NDIS Commission register