Information for Service Providers

How to help someone apply for a Card

Your service or organisation can support clients and participants apply for a Card. We have developed resources to help you.

1. Check if your client is eligible

Click here to check eligibility.

2. Watch and Read the 'How to Apply' Guides

Click here to visit the guides.

3. Collect the application requirements

Download our helpful PDF information pack for the requirements here.

4. Apply online:

Click here to apply online. You will need a computer, smartphone or tablet with an internet connection.

Resources to help your clients apply

The National Assistance Card has developed 'How to Apply' videos, written guides and FAQs to help services, organisations and people with disability learn more about the application process. The resources can be downloaded and shared with staff and clients to make applying for a Card easier.

How To Apply Video

Watch this video to learn more about how to apply for a Card, including the information you will need to provide. Watch it at https://youtu.be/xJbN82dmhOo

How to Apply Guides

The written guides include step by step instructions and can be printed and downloaded. Click here to visit the guides.

Frequently Asked Questions

Learn more about the Card and how to apply. Visit Click here to visit the Frequently Asked Questions page.

Book an online information session

Help your staff, clients, participants and networks learn more about the National Assistance Card by booking a targeted online information session.

Sessions can be tailored to your needs with content including:

What the National Assistance Card is
The benefits of the Card
How to apply for a Card

An online information session also allows you to ask us questions about the Card.

To book a session, use our contact form.

Relevant Questions

What is the National Assistance Card?

The National Assistance Card is a personalised card to assist people with disability and health conditions in the community.

The Card can be used in everyday or emergency situations where a cardholder needs assistance or support.

The National Assistance Card can:

help cardholders communicate their unique areas of difficulty and the assistance they may need
give cardholders greater independence
assist cardholders to feel more confident in everyday social situations
provide peace of mind for families and carers
enhance community understanding of disability and health conditions
support positive community interaction with cardholders.

Who can apply for the National Assistance Card?

Disability

The National Assistance Card is available to all people in Australia living with brain injury.

In Tasmania the Card is available to the autistic community. We’re excited to announce that the National Assistance Card will be launched nationwide for the autistic community in early 2025. We’re currently welcoming expressions of interest (EOI) from autistic applicants who live outside Tasmania. You can click here to fill out the EOI form.

The National Assistance Card Service hope that, in the future, the National Assistance Card will be available to all people in Australia with disability and health conditions.

Please note: As part of your application, you must provide a supporting document from a medical or allied health professional that verifies any disability or health condition you choose to list on your Card.

Age

There are no age restrictions for applying for the National Assistance Card.

The Card is available to children and adults.

You can read more about who is eligible to apply for a Card here.

I have started an application - how do I log back in to my application?

If you have already started an application but not submitted it yet, please log in to your application to complete it.

How to log in to your application

Visit the application portal here
Click ‘Start’
Click ‘Existing’
Enter your details (make sure you enter the same information you used to start your application)
First Name
Surname
Phone number (no spaces)
Email address
Tick ‘I am not a robot’
Click ‘Next’
Complete the verification code screen
A 6 digit code will be sent to your email or phone (you can choose which)
Enter the code and click verify

This opens your application.

Please complete and submit your application.

If you cannot log in to your application, please contact us.

If you have submitted your application, your application is under review and you cannot log back in.

Please contact us if you would like to make any changes to your submitted application or have any questions.

What does the National Assistance Card look like?

Example of the Front of the Card (above)

Brain Injury Trial (National): Example of the back of the Card (above)
Scan the QR code to view an example of written and video additional information

Autism Trial (Tasmania): Example of the Back of the Card (above)
Please note: issued Cards will include a personalised QR code

What does the Card include?

The National Assistance Card includes a cardholder's:

First and last name
Photo
Date of birth
Nominated contact person's name and phone number
(A cardholder can choose if this person is contacted).

Also printed on the Card:

Up to five areas of difficulty chosen by the cardholder
(for example: communication, fatigue, memory, processing information)
A QR code providing access to additional information (written or personalised video) that the cardholder has chosen to include
The Police Assistance Line phone number.

Why do I need to provide supporting medical documents with my application?

To ensure the success of the National Assistance Card as a community service it is important the cardholder’s disability and/or health condition has been professionally verified.

As part of the application, you must provide a supporting document to verify any disability or health condition you choose to list on your Card.

The documents must be from a medical or allied health professional and need to include your name and disability or health condition diagnosis. The documents do not need to go into detail.

We accept letters, reports, and certificates from the following professionals:

General practitioner (GP)
Medical specialist (for example, neurologist)
Clinical neuropsychologist or psychologist
Allied health practitioner (for example a physiotherapist, occupational therapist, speech pathologist).

A scan or photo of the document can be uploaded directly to the application, or you can email or post the document to the National Assistance Card Service.

Please know that:

Your personal data is protected by the National Assistance Card Service in accordance with our Privacy Policy.
Your supporting document is only accessed by the National Assistance Card team to assess your application eligibility.

Why may some of the information from my Card be shared with Police?

Police have many different roles in our community including:

Preventing anti-social behaviour;
Dealing with community safety concerns;
Attending accidents;
Investigating crime;
Dealing with drug and alcohol affected people; and
Attending critical incidents and emergencies.

They also undertake many other tasks such as:

Building positive relationships with community groups and members;
Visiting schools and interacting with students;
Attending community events; and
Talking to and assisting vulnerable members of the community.

The National Assistance Card Service is working with Police in all States and Territories to ensure they are aware of, and informed about, the National Assistance Card.

We are trialling a data sharing agreement with Tasmania Police where National Assistance Card cardholders will have a flag added to a personal identity record in their State or Territory Police database.

In Tasmania, this means that, should Police be contacted for any reason regarding a cardholder, they will be able to access cardholder information prior to attending the call-out. Because Police will know in advance how a cardholder’s disability or health condition impacts them, what supports they may require, and who their nominated contact person is (should this be required), they will be able to provide an informed and considered response.

We hope to put similar data sharing agreements in place with police in other states and territories soon.

Please Note:

The only information provided to Police will be your: name, date of birth, address, areas of difficulty, QR code additional information and your contact person’s name and phone number.
Your supporting documentation will not be provided to Police.‍
‍Police in each State and Territory will sign an agreement with the Brain Injury Association of Tasmania (owners of the National Assistance Card Service) that they will only use National Assistance Card information provided to them if it is reasonably necessary for their work.
Police will only use information provided to them if it is reasonably necessary for their work.
If you decide you no longer want your National Assistance Card, your information on the Police information system will be deactivated and will not be able to be viewed by police (note: deactivated NOT deleted).

You can also show Police and/or other emergency services (ambulance, fire) your Card should you need assistance.

What should I do if I’m shown a National Assistance Card?

Read the Card.
Ask the cardholder how you can assist them.
Use clear, concise language
(not loud and slow).
Be friendly and respectful.
Scan the QR code, if requested or required, to find out more information.
Call the cardholder’s nominated contact person, if requested or required.
Assist the cardholder to access emergency support if requested or required, for example: ambulance or police.

Your understanding and assistance is appreciated.

You can download the National Community Assistance Guide here and the Tasmanian Community Assistance Guide here.

I have found a National Assistance Card. Where can I return it?

You can return the Card to:‍

National Assistance Card Service
PO Box 4580
Bathurst Street Post Office
Hobart TAS 7000

Or contact us here for more information.

What is brain injury?

Brain injury is defined as any damage or injury to the brain, occurring after birth, resulting in ongoing impairments. (The definition also includes Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder which is brain damage caused by alcohol exposure before birth).

Common causes of brain injury include motor vehicle crashes, assaults, sporting accidents, stroke, lack of oxygen to the brain, brain tumours and degenerative neurological conditions.

The ongoing impairments a person may have could be physical, cognitive, emotional and/or behavioural.

Many of the effects of brain injury are not visible; this doesn’t make the impacts any less real.

Every brain injury is different.

What is autism?

Autism is a neurological and development condition that occurs when the brain develops differently.
Autism affects the way people sense, communicate, behave and interact with the world.
While there are some common autistic traits, people experience autism in different ways.
All, some, or none of a person's autistic traits may be obvious to others or only noticeable in difficult settings.

How do I find out more about the National Assistance Card?

If you have a question about the National Assistance Card – please fill in our Contact Form; a member of the National Assistance Card Team will respond to your question.

You can complete the Contact Form here.

Why should your clients apply?

Ready to help your clients apply?

How to help someone apply for a Card

Resources to help your clients apply

Book an online information session

Relevant Questions

Ready to help your clients apply?