Specialist Support Coordination for Complex Situations
Steady, experienced support when life, systems and services become difficult to navigate.
Some people need a higher level of support because their circumstances are complex, high-risk or difficult to stabilise. Nhanya Foundation provides Specialist Support Coordination for participants who need experienced, calm and coordinated support to reduce barriers and bring the right people together.
Nhanya Foundation is a not-for-profit organisation and registered charity. Any surplus generated through our services is applied to our charitable purposes and community benefit, allowing us to continue supporting women, children, young people and families experiencing complex and vulnerable circumstances. Our service model is intentionally focused, supporting greater choice and helping us provide independent, person-centred guidance.
Our role is to help make sense of complex situations, identify what needs to happen first, and support safer, more coordinated service delivery. We work alongside the participant, family members, providers and mainstream services to help create stability and improve the way supports are working.
Specialist Support Coordination is not just about finding services. It is about helping resolve complexity, reduce risk, and support the person to move forward when ordinary coordination is not enough.
Supporting complex needs
Nhanya Foundation can support participants experiencing complex circumstances, including trauma, psychosocial disability, mental health concerns, housing instability, justice system involvement, child protection or family service involvement, family breakdown, carer stress, limited informal supports, complex behaviour support needs, hospital discharge, or difficulty engaging and maintaining services.
We understand that these situations rarely sit within one system. Often, housing, health, disability, family, justice and community services all overlap. Our role is to help reduce confusion, improve communication, and support everyone involved to work towards the same goals.
Complexity may be increased by family violence, homelessness, financial hardship, cultural or language barriers, limited informal supports or the involvement of several service systems at the same time.
Our approach
We approach complex situations with patience, structure and respect.
We take time to understand the person’s history, current risks, support gaps and immediate priorities. We then work with the person and their support network to develop practical steps, connect with appropriate services, and stabilise the support environment.
Our focus is on safety, dignity, choice and long-term stability. We do not walk away when things become difficult. We stay engaged, keep communication clear, and work through barriers with purpose.
Why choose Nhanya Foundation?
Nhanya means persistence, and this is especially important in Specialist Support Coordination.
Because Nhanya Foundation is a not-for-profit organisation, our work is guided by purpose, accountability, and community benefit. We are not trying to hold every service under one umbrella. Our Specialist Support Coordination is focused on stabilising complex situations, improving communication, and helping participants access the right supports from the right providers.
We provide Support Coordination, Specialist Support Coordination, therapeutic services, and group-based programs. This supports a clearer, more transparent coordination role, where participant choice and best interests remain central.
Participants with complex needs often experience service breakdowns, repeated referrals, crisis responses, or systems that do not communicate well with each other. Nhanya Foundation brings a calm and steady approach to these situations.
Our strength is in working with complexity while keeping the person at the centre. We understand housing stress, trauma, disability-related risks, family breakdown and service failure. We also understand that language, culture, identity, family and community can affect how people experience and engage with support, particularly for CALD communities and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Independent and person-centred coordination
Specialist Support Coordination must remain focused on the participant’s needs, not provider interests.
Nhanya Foundation supports participants to make informed choices about providers and services. We do not pressure participants to use any particular service. Where any potential conflict of interest may exist, we manage it openly and transparently, with the participant’s choice and best interests at the centre.
Who this service may suit
Specialist Support Coordination may be suitable where there are significant barriers to using supports, multiple services involved, high-risk circumstances, repeated service breakdowns, complex family or housing issues, justice involvement, mental health concerns, or a need for stronger coordination across systems.
If you have Specialist Support Coordination funding and need experienced support to manage a complex situation, Nhanya Foundation can help.
Contact us to discuss a referral, or call our team on 03 8595 9012 about the next step.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Level 3 Specialist Support Coordination?
Level 3 Specialist Support Coordination is funded for participants with complex situations, high risks, or crisis barriers (such as justice involvement, health/hospital discharge, or housing instability). It is delivered by qualified allied health or social work professionals.
How does Specialist Support Coordination differ from standard Support Coordination?
Specialist support coordinators address high-complexity barriers, design crisis resolution plans, and coordinate multi-agency supports (health, child protection, justice, housing) to stabilize the participant's support environment.
How do I get Specialist Support Coordination in my NDIS plan?
Specialist Support Coordination is funded when there are demonstrated complex support needs and risks. Evidence from medical specialists, allied health practitioners, or case managers is presented during an NDIS planning or review meeting.
Do I need to live in the Wyndham area to access Specialist Support Coordination?
No. While our team is based in the Wyndham area, Specialist Support Coordination isn't limited to people who live nearby - we support NDIS participants across Greater Melbourne and Victoria. Contact us regardless of where you're located and we'll talk through what's possible for your situation.