Specialist Disability Accommodation
What is Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA)?
Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) is a house, apartment or other type of home that has been designed for people who need a lot of support.
SDA often includes special features that help people live as independently as possible.
Can anyone with a disability live in an SDA?
Not all people with disability can live in SDA. The NDIS assist with deciding who is eligible through planning meetings and assessment processes.
To be eligible for SDA, you must have an extreme functional impairment or very high support needs.
Having extreme functional impairment means that even if your home has been designed to suit you, you still may need support to carry out your daily needs and routine. This can include but is not limited to needing assistance with getting out of bed, getting dressed, making meals and accessing the community.
Having very high support needs means that you may require multiple hours of support to be provided to you every day by qualified care staff. For example a participants parents whom once provided majority of care and supports may no longer be able to.
When you’re looking for SDA housing options it’s important to keep in mind the 5 SDA housing categories. Your occupational therapist will help assess what SDA housing category best suits your needs.
What are the SDA housing categories?
Basic – includes older properties that don’t have any special design features (no longer being built).
Improved Liveability – designed for people who have intellectual, cognitive and sensory impairments. Included are enhanced provisions such as luminance contrasts and tactile pieces on the walls or within doors
Fully Accessible –designed for people with a significant physical disability. There are no steps in the fully accessible design, doorways are wide enough for a wheelchair and bench tops are designed for people to access from a sitting or standing position.
High Physical Support – If you’re using an electric wheelchair to get around or a hoist for getting in and out of bed then the high physical support category may suit you. This category has all the features of a ‘fully accessible’ SDA along with provisions for ceiling hoists, back-up power source and assistive technologies.
Robust - This is a very resilient SDA designed for people who have some behaviors of concern which could place themselves or others at risk, and to keep them safe. It usually has additional features such as secure doors and windows, high impact wall-lining and sometimes sound proofing.
How to apply to SDA housing funding within your NDIS plan?
Housing Assessment Report Your OT must complete a comprehensive assessment to determine if you’re eligible for funding to apply for SDA funding. It will take between 12 to 15 hours to finish and highlight things like what type of house will best meet your needs. Supporting documents It’s a good idea to include supporting documents with the assessment.
These documents might include:
A letter of support from your GP, a specialist doctor, physiotherapist, OT, speech pathologist, and other allied health practitioners.
A Housing Plan – this is a report from your Support Coordinator or OT describing your current home and living situation. It will outline what your needs are and what you need from your future home.
Apply to the NDIA
Once you have all your reports and support letters ready, you can apply to the NDIA for SDA funding. You must complete the Home and Living Supports Request Form and provide the NDIA along with your supporting documents. You can do this by email, post, via your Local Area Coordinator or in person at the nearest NDIS Office.
Once you have SDA funding approved in your NDIS plan you can now start your house hunting journey.
For any further information or to enquire about one of our St John of God Marillac properties please contact:
Shannon
Client Engagement Coordinator
Tel: 0457 839 977
Email: [email protected]