Allied Health Assistant Support
An Allied Health Assistant, or AHA, helps you practise activities that an occupational therapist, or OT, has assessed and delegated.
Delegation means the OT decides which activities the AHA can safely carry out and gives instructions. The OT supervises the work and remains responsible for clinical decisions; the AHA follows the plan and reports what happens.
Unsure if AHA is needed? Contact us. We're here to help!
What do you want to understand next?
When might AHA support help?
AHA support may be useful when you have an OT plan and need more opportunities to practise a specific activity. The OT must first decide that delegation is safe and suitable.
For example, an OT plan might describe the steps and reminders used to practise getting ready for school. The AHA follows those instructions and records what helped or was difficult. Or the activity might be part of a dressing routine or an older person. The AHA supports the agreed practice, while the OT reviews whether the approach needs to change.
This can be super helpful to make your funding go further with lower cost sessions, while your OT stays involved and focuses their clinical expertise where it is needed most.
See how this service applies to different stages of life.
What does the OT do, and what does the AHA do?
The OT
- Assesses your activities, surroundings and support needs.
- Agrees on the goal and develops the plan with you.
- Decides what to delegate and gives clear instructions.
- Sets supervision and reporting arrangements.
- Reviews the findings and makes clinical changes.
The AHA
- Prepares for the activity using the OT's instructions.
- Helps you practise the agreed steps.
- Uses the prompts, resources and support described in the plan.
- Records observations and raises concerns.
- Reports back to the supervising OT.
Supervision means the OT guides and checks the delegated work. The arrangement is agreed before AHA sessions begin.
What if the activity or plan needs to change?
If a new difficulty appears, the goal changes or safety is uncertain, the AHA raises this with the OT. They pause or respond within the instructions already agreed.
The AHA does not independently assess a condition, change a therapy goal, prescribe equipment, recommend home modifications or write an independent OT report. The OT decides what clinical changes are needed.
Do you need AHA support, ongoing OT or mentoring?
01
Ongoing OT
When you are still working out what will help.
Your OT works with you to understand difficulties, try different approaches and adjust your therapy as your needs or progress change.
02
AHA support
When you already know what to work on and need regular support to do it.
An AHA works with you on activities and strategies already planned by your OT, with your OT remaining involved for clinical guidance and review.
03
Mentoring Support
When you know what you want to do but need practical help to make it happen.
A mentor supports you with everyday goals, routines and participation. Mentoring is practical support rather than occupational therapy.
Still not sure?
Think about where you are right now. Still working out what will help? Start with OT. Already have an OT plan and need support to put it into practice? AHA may be suitable. Know what you want to do and mainly need practical support to do it? Mentoring may be the better fit.
Where can sessions happen?
Sessions may take place in a clinic, at home, at school or in the community, depending on the delegated activity.
We confirm the setting after considering the OT's instructions, your preferences and consent, safety, practical needs, funding and availability.
What does AHA support cost?
Our current therapy rate is
$86.79
per hour
What’s included?
The total may include AHA sessions, agreed provider travel and travel expenses where applicable. OT assessment, planning, supervision or review is charged separately when required.
Funding and service arrangements
We confirm the agreed work and rates before support begins. NDIS payment depends on your plan, available funding and current rules.
How to get started
Select Start a Referral below. This opens our New Patient Referral form, which you can complete for yourself or someone you support.
Share what you or the person you support want to practise, any existing plan and who oversees it. Include steps or prompts already used, current support and any recent changes or concerns.
We check the plan, delegation and supervision needs, current availability and funding. We contact you or the nominated person to discuss what happens next.
If AHA support is suitable, we confirm the paperwork, supervision arrangement and appointment. If the activity still needs assessment or the plan needs changing, OT input comes first.
