As part of the NSW RPA Policy, NDIS Providers wishing to implement a regulated restrictive practice must have an RPA mechanism that comprises a properly constituted RPA Panel which meets governance requirements. Membership of an RPA panel must comprise as a minimum:
- A senior manager of the NDIS Provider who has experience in behaviour support and restrictive practices.
- An experienced Specialist Behaviour Support Practitioner who is independent of the NDIS Provider and NDIS participant.
There is some confusion around what a ‘specialist’ behaviour support practitioner is due to the naming of the NDIS service ‘Specialist Behaviour Support Intervention’.
This confusion is clarified by understanding the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission assess the level of skill behaviour support practitioners have in the ascending order of; Core, Proficient, Advanced, and finally, Specialist. Dr Matthew Snow has been assessed by the commission as a Specialist (P1457800) behaviour support practitioner.
Dr Snow offers his services as an independent Specialist Behaviour Support Practitioner on RPA Panels to all NDIS providers seeking to have restrictive practices approved for implementation by the Central Restrictive Practices Team.
