How to Use Your NDIS Plan to Fund a Safety and Communication Device

When a standard device is not the right fit

For many NDIS participants, a smartphone or tablet works well enough. With the right accessibility settings, a standard device can support communication, safety, and daily life. But for some participants, a smartphone is simply not a workable solution.

The screens are too small. The menus are too complex. The steps required to make a call are too many. For someone who cannot reliably sequence actions, navigate abstract interfaces, or respond appropriately in an emergency, a standard phone or tablet does not provide genuine safety or communication capability - it provides the appearance of it.

This is exactly the gap that purpose-built safety and communication devices are designed to fill. And it is precisely the kind of assistive technology the NDIS is designed to fund.

This guide explains how to use an NDIS plan to fund a device like the KISA Companion - a purpose-built safety and communication device designed for participants who cannot use standard technology. It covers what budget category applies, why no formal assessment is required, how the three plan management types affect the process, and what documentation KISA provides to support the purchase.

What the NDIS funds in this category

The NDIS funds assistive technology that helps participants do things they cannot do - or cannot do safely - because of their disability. The device needs to be directly related to the participant's disability, help them work toward goals in their plan, and represent a reasonable and necessary use of NDIS funds.

A purpose-built safety and communication device sits squarely within this definition. For a participant who cannot use a standard phone in an emergency, or who cannot reliably call a trusted person without significant support, a device that removes those barriers has a clear and direct connection to disability-related need.

More than 650,000 Australians are currently supported by the NDIS, according to the NDIS quarterly reports. A significant proportion have intellectual disabilities, autism, or acquired brain injuries - the groups most likely to benefit from a device that replaces, rather than simply adapts, standard consumer technology.

Which NDIS budget pays for it

This is one of the most commonly misunderstood parts of NDIS assistive technology funding, and getting it right makes the process much simpler.

The NDIS divides assistive technology into cost categories. Low-cost assistive technology is any item priced below $1,500. According to the NDIS, low-cost AT is funded from the consumables budget within Core Supports - not from a separate Capital - Assistive Technology budget, which applies to more expensive items.

The KISA Companion package is priced at $1,248, placing it within the low-cost AT category. This has several practical implications:

• No formal AT assessment is required
• No occupational therapist's report is required
• No prior NDIS approval or quote submission is needed for low-risk items
• The purchase can often be actioned from the current plan without waiting for a plan review

For participants and families who have been through the lengthy process of mid or high-cost AT, this distinction matters enormously. Low-cost AT is designed to be accessible quickly, with minimal bureaucratic overhead.

The one requirement is that the plan must include a consumables budget (or sufficient flexibility within Core Supports). If the current plan does not include this, it can be raised at the next plan review or discussed with the support coordinator ahead of a plan variation. For a fuller explanation of how AT tiers work across the NDIS system, see our guide to NDIS assistive technology.

Why KISA Companion does not need a Replacement Support application

Since November 2024, the NDIS has applied a Replacement Supports framework to certain categories of technology. Under this framework, tablets, smartphones, smartwatches, and apps for accessibility or communication purposes are classified as replacement supports. If a participant wants to use NDIS funds to purchase one of these items, they must first submit a Replacement Support application - a process that typically takes six to eight weeks to assess.

KISA Companion is none of those things. It is not a tablet. It is not a smartphone. It is not a smartwatch. It does not run consumer apps. It is purpose-built, specialist hardware: no screen, no operating system a participant navigates, no app store. It has large mechanical buttons programmed to contact specific people, a dedicated emergency services button (000), automatic fall detection, and GPS tracking. There is no general-purpose computing happening inside it.

This means KISA Companion does not trigger the Replacement Supports process. Eligible participants can purchase it directly using their consumables budget, with no additional application, no six-to-eight-week wait, and no separate approval required.

For families who have been exploring tablet-based communication solutions and found the Replacement Supports pathway complicated or slow, this is a meaningful practical difference.

What KISA Companion actually is

Understanding what the device does makes the funding case clearer, and helps participants and their support coordinators connect it to the right goals in the plan.

KISA Companion has no screen, no keypad, and no internet access. It has up to ten large mechanical buttons, each pre-programmed for a specific trusted contact - a family member, a support worker, a carer. The buttons can be labelled with large text, photographs, or braille, depending on the participant's needs. When a button is pressed, the device calls that contact directly, with two-way audio through the device. There is no dialling, no unlocking, no menu navigation. Each device is configured before delivery and arrives ready to use out of the box.

In addition to communication, KISA Companion includes:

• A dedicated SOS button that connects directly to emergency services (000)
• Automatic fall detection that triggers an alert even if the participant cannot press a button (built in at no cost; can be activated at any time after delivery through the client portal or by contacting KISA)
• GPS tracking with real-time location sharing to family members and carers
• Medication and task reminders that can be set and managed by carers
• Battery life of up to three days on standby
• 24/7 emergency monitoring by an Australian-based monitoring team, included for 12 months

The device can be worn on a lanyard or carried in a pocket or bag. It can be configured in any language during the ordering process. Buttons can be labelled in braille for participants who need it.

KISA Companion is designed for NDIS participants who cannot use a standard phone or tablet due to their disability - including people with intellectual disabilities, autism spectrum disorder, acquired brain injuries, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, physical impairments affecting dexterity, and vision impairment requiring braille-labelled controls.

It functions as both a communication device and a personal safety device. For NDIS plans that include goals in both areas, it can be documented under both purposes. Support coordinators often find this useful when a participant's plan has goals around community participation and independent living alongside goals around personal safety.

Connecting the device to your NDIS plan goals

NDIS planning is built around goals - the participant's goals help shape what goes into their plan, including what assistive technology is funded. While the connection between a device and a plan goal does not need to be a precise formula match, the funding case is strongest when you can show how the device supports something the participant is already working toward.

For KISA Companion, the relevant goals are typically in two areas.

Communication and social connection. Goals like maintaining contact with family members, participating in social life, or communicating independently without relying on support workers align directly with a communication device. If a participant cannot make a phone call without assistance, and a purpose-built device removes that barrier, the connection is clear.

Safety and independent living. Goals around living as independently as possible, managing daily risks related to disability, accessing the community safely, or reducing reliance on constant carer presence all support the case for a safety device. The fall detection and SOS functions are particularly relevant here.

If the relevant goals are not yet in the plan, they can be proposed at the next plan review. Support coordinators and local area coordinators (LACs) can help document the goal in a way that makes the funding case clear. The stronger and more specific the goal - not just "stay safe" but "be able to call for help independently when away from home" - the more directly the device supports it.

How the process works depending on your plan management type

There are three ways an NDIS plan can be managed, and each affects how the purchase of KISA Companion works in practice. KISA works with all three.

Agency-managed (NDIA-managed). The NDIA pays registered providers directly. For agency-managed participants, KISA Companion must be purchased from a registered NDIS provider - which KISA is (Registration No. 96153614). Before the purchase proceeds, a service booking will need to be set up in the myplace portal by the participant, their nominee, or their support coordinator. Once the service booking is in place, the NDIA pays KISA directly and the participant does not need to pay upfront.

Plan-managed. A plan manager handles the financial administration. The participant identifies the device, KISA provides an invoice, and the invoice is sent to the plan manager for processing. The plan manager pays KISA from the participant's consumables budget. The participant does not pay out of pocket. This is often the most straightforward path - the plan manager handles the paperwork once they receive the invoice from KISA.

Self-managed. The participant manages their own NDIS funds. They purchase KISA Companion directly, then submit a reimbursement claim through the myplace portal or my NDIS app. Self-managed participants have the most flexibility - they are not required to use a registered provider - and often find the process fastest.

If you are unsure which plan management type applies, it is stated in the participant's NDIS plan document. The support coordinator or LAC can also confirm this.

What KISA provides to support your purchase

One of the practical questions that comes up for support coordinators and plan managers is what documentation a provider can supply to support the purchase. KISA can provide:

• A formal quote with full product specifications
• Documentation identifying which NDIS assistive technology categories the Companion qualifies under
• Information for plan managers on the correct claiming process for the participant's plan management type

KISA has been a registered NDIS assistive technology provider since 2014 (Registration No. 96153614). The KISA Companion is recognised as low-cost assistive technology and can be funded through the consumables budget in an approved NDIS plan. It is available under three NDIS Support Budget categories: Communication and Information Equipment, Assistive Products for Personal Care and Safety, and Vision Equipment.

Quotes can be requested online at any time at order.kisa.com.au. No phone call or email is needed to get started.

Step by step: from need to funded device

For participants and families who want a clear sequence to follow, here is how the process typically runs from start to finish.

Step 1: Confirm NDIS eligibility. The participant must have an active NDIS plan. NDIS is available to people under 65 with a permanent and significant disability. For Australians aged 65 and over, the Support at Home program has separate funding pathways for assistive technology.

Step 2: Check the plan for a consumables budget. Low-cost AT comes from the Core Supports budget under consumables. Log in to the myplace portal or my NDIS app to check whether the current plan includes consumables funding, and whether there is enough available. A support coordinator or LAC can assist with this check.

Step 3: Connect the need to a plan goal. Identify which goal or goals in the plan the device supports. If the relevant goals are not in the current plan, discuss this with the support coordinator ahead of the next review.

Step 4: Request a quote online. A quote can be requested online at order.kisa.com.au at any time. KISA will provide a formal quote with product specifications and documentation suitable for the participant's plan manager or support coordinator.

Step 5: Process the purchase according to plan management type. Agency-managed participants will need a service booking set up in the myplace portal first. Plan-managed participants send the KISA invoice to their plan manager. Self-managed participants purchase directly and claim reimbursement through the myplace portal.

Step 6: Receive and use the device. KISA configures each Companion before delivery, programming the buttons with the participant's chosen contacts and labels. The device arrives ready to use out of the box. Fall detection is built in at no cost and can be activated at any time after delivery - through the client portal or by contacting KISA directly.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does KISA Companion require a formal AT assessment?

No. Because KISA Companion is priced at $1,248 - below the NDIS low-cost AT threshold of $1,500 - no formal assistive technology assessment and no occupational therapist's report is required. The NDIS does suggest speaking to an AT advisor before any new purchase to confirm the item is right for the participant, but this is guidance rather than a requirement for low-risk, low-cost items.

Can KISA Companion be funded for a participant with autism?

Yes. KISA Companion is particularly well-suited to participants with autism who cannot use a standard smartphone reliably. The device removes the complexity of touchscreens, menus, and general-purpose operating systems, replacing them with large tactile buttons pre-set to trusted contacts. For participants whose plan goals include communication independence or community safety, the funding case is straightforward. A support coordinator can help document the connection between the device and the relevant plan goals.

Does KISA Companion need a Replacement Support application?

No. The NDIS Replacement Supports framework applies to tablets, smartphones, smartwatches, and accessibility or communication apps. KISA Companion is purpose-built hardware - it is not a tablet, not a smartphone, and not a smartwatch. It does not require a Replacement Support application and can be purchased directly from the consumables budget once the plan has the appropriate funding in place.

What if my plan does not currently include a consumables budget?

If the current plan does not include consumables funding, or the available consumables budget is insufficient, this can be discussed with the support coordinator or LAC ahead of the next plan review. In some cases a plan variation may allow the budget to be adjusted without waiting for a full review. A KISA quote can help support the case at the planning meeting.

Is KISA a registered NDIS provider?

Yes. KISA has been a registered NDIS assistive technology provider since 2014 (Registration No. 96153614). Agency-managed participants can only use registered providers, so KISA's registration is a requirement that is already met. Plan-managed and self-managed participants can use KISA regardless of registration status, but KISA's registration provides additional assurance for support coordinators and plan managers.

Can a support coordinator or plan manager contact KISA directly?

Yes. KISA regularly works with support coordinators, LACs, and plan managers to provide quotes, product documentation, and AT category information. A quote can be started online at order.kisa.com.au, or support coordinators are welcome to contact KISA directly to discuss a participant's specific needs ahead of the funding application.