Behaviour support is sometimes talked about as though practitioners spend their days writing reports and collecting a high hourly rate. Laura Barnes gives a much more honest account of what the work actually involves, especially when supporting people with complex mental health needs, dual diagnoses, substance use, violence and significant risks to themselves or others.

In this episode of the NDIS Provider Growth Journey, Michael speaks with Laura, a behaviour support practitioner and clinical manager at Conscious Care Therapeutic Support. They talk about the difference between building a service around billable targets and doing the level of clinical work that participants genuinely need. Laura explains why strong behaviour support requires proper assessments, thoughtful risk management, useful training and a willingness to understand the details that cannot be captured in a generic strategy.

Laura also shares the business realities behind the hourly rate. A complex report may take 60 hours when only 30 hours have been funded. Practitioners may travel for hours to reach someone who cannot consistently use telehealth, while being able to charge for only a small part of that journey. There are also appointments to organise, research to complete and difficult clinical decisions that cannot always be billed.

The conversation also looks at AI and why Laura believes it cannot replace clinical judgement. AI may help with research or simple tasks, but it does not attend the sessions, hear the phone calls or understand the small moments that can completely change how a person’s behaviour is understood. For Laura, the challenge is finding a way to run a sustainable business without turning behaviour support into a report-writing sweatshop.

Learn more about Laura and Conscious Care Therapeutic Support:

https://therapeuticsupport.com.au/

That was a great podcast.

If you want some one-on-one support, get in touch with me, michael@athletickoala.com.au

In this episode of the NDIS Provider Growth Journey, Michael sits down with Jackson Morton, founder of Better Support in South Australia, for a very different kind of conversation. They had only met moments before recording, and what followed was an honest discussion about the questions many young NDIS business owners are asking but do not always say out loud.

Jackson shares what it has been like building a support business in his early twenties, growing a team of 13 staff and supporting around 30 participants while trying to get the systems, compliance and structure right. The conversation quickly moves beyond growth for growth’s sake and into the harder questions around profitability, workload, identity and whether the business is actually giving enough back to the person running it.

Michael challenges Jackson to look closely at where his time is going, what could be handled by software or a virtual assistant, and why running a great service is not enough in a price-capped industry. They also talk about the danger of building a larger business that remains unprofitable, and why Jackson needs to create a business that can support his upcoming marriage rather than constantly pulling him away from it.

This is a raw and practical conversation about making better decisions before growth creates more pressure. It will be especially useful for NDIS providers who care deeply about the people they support but are starting to realise that passion alone will not make the business sustainable.

You can learn more about Jackson and Better Support at:

https://bettersupportsa.com.au/

If you want some one-on-one support, get in touch with me, michael@athletickoala.com.au.

In Episode 60 of the NDIS Provider Growth Journey Podcast, Michael speaks with Dion Tobi from DMT Coaching and Support Services.

Dion is an independent support coordinator in Brisbane and previously worked as an LAC for more than seven years. They talk about why support coordinators often ignore generic provider outreach, how providers can build real relationships and what makes information useful when funding decisions are being made.

They also cover why longer reports are not always better, what clear supporting evidence should explain and how good support coordinators help participants understand their options without making unrealistic promises.

DMT Coaching and Support Services:
https://www.dmtcss.com.au

Athletic Koala:
https://www.athletickoala.com.au

Listen on Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/show/3sruYKcihnI94xnKmL7Rv0

#NDIS #SupportCoordination #NDISProviders #NDISFunding #DisabilitySupport #AthleticKoala