Assistance Dogs 101

Workshop Duration: 2 hours

Cost: $120.00

Are you confident assessing whether an assistance dog is suitable, safe and reasonable for an NDIS participant?

Do you understand NDIA expectations for evidence, risk and task justification?

If you need practical guidance on assessment, documentation and funding pathways, this session is for you.

Purchase this workshop

What will you learn?

Assistance Dogs 101 will walk you through the key definitions, assessment criteria and documentation requirements related to assistance dogs in Australia, especially within the NDIS context.

You’ll explore:

The difference between assistance dogs, therapy animals, emotional support animals and pets
Legal definitions and the role of Public Access Test (PAT) certification
NDIS criteria for funding assistance dogs (and how to apply the “reasonable and necessary” test)
How to determine whether an assistance dog is an appropriate support for your client
OT assessment responsibilities including functional needs, alternatives and impact on participation
Case examples illustrating strong clinical justification
How to collaborate with recognised assistance dog organisations

Who is this workshop for?

OTs supporting clients exploring the use of an assistance dog\
Early career OTs unsure about the scope of animal-related recommendations
Practice owners seeking consistency in animal-related assessments
Clinicians working in the NDIS space

Why attend?

This practical session will equip you with essential knowledge and tools to confidently support participants seeking assistance dog funding.

You will receive:

A clear understanding of assistance dog types and their legal status
Tools to assess functional impact and support needs
Guidance for documenting and justifying assistance dog requests in NDIS reports
Clarity on when and how to engage recognised providers
A downloadable summary sheet to guide your clinical reasoning

What's included?

Gain online access to the workshop – live workshops are delivered via Zoom, while self-paced options include access to recorded sessions
Download workshop slides and any resources provided by the presenter
Enjoy six months of access to the recording and resources via your Verve OT Learning Library
Receive a certificate of completion for your CPD records, available via email upon completion of the workshop

About the Presenter

Dr Tilly Clements has worked with individuals with disabilities and their families, using animals for the last 15 years in various capacities as an Occupational Therapist including Hippotherapy and NCAS Accredited Horse Riding Coach and Educator.

Clinically, Tilly primarily works with individuals with complex disability presentations but has previously worked in various clinical fields including early intervention school-aged interventions, adults and community-based settings.

Tilly is the director of Cornwall House OT Services and Chairperson of the Western Australian Assistance and Therapy Dogs Association and has a special interest in Animal-Assisted Therapy and assisting people with navigating the world of Assistance Dogs.

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What Are Others Saying?

"I have had so many clients ask about assistance dogs and never known where to start. This workshop helped immensely - I feel confident to give clients a clearer understanding of what an assistance dog is (as opposed to a therapy dog) to help them decide if they want to pursue this process further. I feel confident to have a go at this process if I have a client who wants to pursue it."

Naomi I, Occupational Therapist

"I have really enjoyed Tilly approach. There were many key takeaways - what was really helpful to my OT practice was how to answer the NDIS question around experience when I had none. Also ensuring the assessment covers at least 3 areas in which the dog assists for the NDIS. Many more - evidence based practice//literature review//building up data base."