A functional capacity assessment is a structured clinical assessment of how a person’s disability affects their everyday functioning. It describes what a person can do independently, where support is needed, and which supports would make a practical difference in daily life. For the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), a functional capacity assessment provides the evidence the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) draws on when deciding which supports are reasonable and necessary.
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Behavioural Edge Psychology provides psychologist-led functional capacity assessments for adults across Victoria. The practice works with complex presentations at the intersection of psychosocial, neurodevelopmental, and trauma-related disability, where the way a person functions is shaped by more than one condition at once.
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What a functional capacity assessment measures
An NDIS functional capacity assessment looks at functioning across the six domains the NDIA uses to understand disability. These six domains are listed below.
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Communication, how a person understands others and expresses themselves.
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Social interaction, how a person relates to and gets along with other people.
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Learning, how a person takes in, retains, and applies new information.
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Mobility, how a person moves around the home and the community.
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Self-care, how a person manages personal care and daily living tasks.
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Self-management, how a person plans, organises, makes decisions, and manages money and routines.
The assessment also considers how these areas interact, and how functioning changes between better periods and more difficult periods, which matters for conditions that fluctuate.
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A psychologist-led assessment
Functional capacity assessments are completed by a range of qualified allied health professionals. The NDIA lists a psychologist among the treating professionals who can provide evidence of disability and its functional impact. A psychologist-led assessment is well matched to psychosocial disability, autism, ADHD, intellectual disability, and trauma-related presentations, where mental health, cognition, and sensory experience shape how a person functions day to day.
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Behavioural Edge Psychology draws on multiple sources of information in every assessment. These include the person’s own account, collateral from family or support workers where it is helpful, direct clinical observation, and standardised measures. The value of the assessment is the visible reasoning that connects an identified impairment to a specific functional consequence and the support that addresses it, rather than a set of scores presented on their own.
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Where physical or mobility needs are central, occupational therapy or physiotherapy input may be recommended alongside the psychological assessment, so that the full picture is captured by the right professionals.
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How the assessment works
The assessment follows a clear sequence, so that the conclusion rests on a defined question and an explicit chain of reasoning.
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The referral question is clarified, so the assessment answers the decision the report needs to inform.
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A developmental, medical, psychiatric, educational, and occupational history is gathered, along with collateral information where the question requires it.
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Validated measures are administered while presentation, affect, cognition, and effort are observed in parallel.
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Findings are scored against each instrument’s manual and read against one another, so that agreement and disagreement between measures are both examined.
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An explicit chain is built from the underlying impairment to its functional consequence and the support that addresses it.
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Recommendations are expressed in functional terms and linked to the person’s goals and to reasonable and necessary supports.
The instruments used
Instrument selection is matched to the referral question rather than applied as a fixed battery. The WHODAS 2.0 (World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule) provides the functional spine of the assessment. It summarises functioning across the six domains of the World Health Organization’s International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health, which aligns closely with the way the NDIA frames disability. The ABAS-3 (Adaptive Behavior Assessment System, Third Edition) measures adaptive behaviour, being the practical, conceptual, and social skills a person uses to manage everyday life.
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Depending on the referral question, the assessment may also draw on cognitive assessment using the WAIS-5 (Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, Fifth Edition), structured diagnostic interviews for ADHD (DIVA-5) and autism (MIGDAS-2), sensory profiling using the Adolescent and Adult Sensory Profile, and validated self-report and informant measures. Proportionate selection keeps each instrument tied to a clear functional question, which strengthens both the validity of the findings and the defensibility of the report.
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What the report contains
The report follows a consistent structure, so that the reasoning is easy to follow and easy to act on. It sets out the referral and the question, the background and history, the assessment methods and the rationale for each instrument, behavioural observations, results by instrument, an integrated formulation, functional impact described domain by domain, recommendations expressed in functional terms and linked to goals, and a clear statement of scope, confidence, and limitations.
For NDIS access, the report addresses the disability requirements under section 24 of the NDIS Act, including whether the impairment is likely to be permanent and whether it results in substantially reduced functional capacity. Recommendations are framed against the reasonable and necessary test in section 34. The report provides evidence for the decision. The funding decision itself rests with the NDIA.
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When a functional capacity assessment helps
A functional capacity assessment is worth considering in the following situations.
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Applying to access the NDIS, where evidence of permanence and substantial functional impairment is required.
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Preparing for a plan reassessment or a change of circumstances review.
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Seeking specific supports such as Supported Independent Living, Specialist Disability Accommodation, assistive technology, or higher capacity-building funding.
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Strengthening evidence for a review of a decision, where existing documentation has not captured the full functional impact.
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Clarifying a complex or dual presentation, where more than one condition affects functioning and a single diagnosis does not tell the whole story.
For support coordinators, solicitors, and plan managers
Referrers receive a report written to be defensible under scrutiny. Each functional conclusion is supported by at least one standardised measure together with corroborating history or observation, each impairment is linked to a specific functional consequence rather than left as a diagnosis, and the rationale for instrument selection is documented in the methods section. The practice works with adults aged 18 and over.
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Report timeframes and scope are confirmed at the point of referral. The practice is happy to work alongside support coordinators, treating teams, and legal representatives where a coordinated picture serves the participant.
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Locations and access
Assessments are held in person at Caulfield South (223 North Road) and St Kilda (Stable Health Clinic, 22 Alma Road), with telehealth available for adults across Victoria. Behavioural Edge Psychology is an adults-only practice and assesses individuals aged 18 and over.
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Request an assessment
A referral can be made by phone or by email. Individuals, support coordinators, solicitors, and plan managers can all start the process.
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Phone 03 8771 4315
Email sarah.fischer@behaviouraledgepsychology.com
Web www.behaviouraledgepsychology.com
Frequently asked questions
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What is a functional capacity assessment?
A functional capacity assessment is a structured clinical assessment of how a person’s disability affects everyday functioning. It describes what a person can do independently, where support is needed, and which supports would make a practical difference. For the NDIS, it provides evidence the NDIA uses when deciding which supports are reasonable and necessary.
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Can a psychologist complete an NDIS functional capacity assessment?
Yes. The NDIA accepts evidence from a range of treating professionals, and a psychologist is listed among those who can provide it. A psychologist-led assessment is well suited to psychosocial disability, autism, ADHD, intellectual disability, and trauma-related presentations, where mental health and cognition shape daily functioning.
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What does a functional capacity assessment measure?
An NDIS functional capacity assessment looks at functioning across the six NDIS domains, being communication, social interaction, learning, mobility, self-care, and self-management. It also considers how functioning changes between better periods and more difficult periods.
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When is a functional capacity assessment needed?
A functional capacity assessment is helpful when applying to access the NDIS, when preparing for a plan reassessment, when seeking specific supports such as Supported Independent Living or assistive technology, or when existing evidence does not capture the full functional impact of a complex presentation.
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Does Behavioural Edge Psychology assess children?
No. Behavioural Edge Psychology is an adults-only practice and provides functional capacity assessments for individuals aged 18 and over.
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Where are assessments held?
Assessments are held in person at Caulfield South and St Kilda in Melbourne, with telehealth available for adults across Victoria.
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How can a functional capacity assessment be requested?
A referral can be made by phone on 03 8771 4315 or by email to sarah.fischer@behaviouraledgepsychology.com. Individuals, support coordinators, solicitors, and plan managers can all initiate a referral.