Editorial illustration for "What a functional capacity assessment is (and isn't)".
What an FCA is
A structured assessment of what the participant can do in their daily life and where formal support is required for them to participate at the level of an Australian without disability.
It is the document that translates clinical capacity into NDIA-funding-relevant language.
What it isn't
It isn't a diagnostic assessment. It isn't a complete therapy plan. It isn't an automatic justification for any particular support - those need separate evidence.
What makes one useful at plan review
Specificity. Plain-language summaries at the front. Explicit links between functional limitations and the supports requested. Genuine alternatives considered.
An FCA that reads like a template doesn't help the participant. Plan reviewers can tell.