NDIS TRAGEDY 'Our daughter had so much to live for'

HANNAH'S PARENTS ARE FIGHTING FOR CHANGE

- Maisy Rae

Four months on from the death of their beloved daughter Hannah, and there's not a day that goes by that John and Jennie Friebel don't question, 'What if?"

"She fought a brave battle head-on for almost a decade with bipolar disorder and associated mental health challenges," John said in an online post. "These past six months we saw her beautiful spirit and smile fade, sadly resulting in Hannah taking her own life."

Hannah died by suicide on April 8. She was 27 years old.

Despite her health challenges, Hannah's family say she was managing her condition through the support of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).

On a self-managed plan, Hannah, from Melbourne, was able to choose how to spend the funding, manage her budget and negotiate the cost of her supports.

She purchased a therapy dog, marriage counselling and food services - all of which Hannah believed were legitimate costs.

However in September, Hannah's mental health took a sharp decline, when she received a letter from the NDIS' debt collectors, claiming she owed them almost $28,000 in rejected claims. Within months, Hannah made several attempts on her life.

"For the first time ever, Hannah became depressed," John told A Current Affair.

Jennie added: "The NDIS kept calling, asking what sort of payment plan was in place."