FOI 24/25-1459 Disclosure Log
DOCUMENT 4
Guide – Identify home and living arrangements Appendix C - Specialist Disability Accommodation
SGP KP Publishing
Exported on 2025-03-12 22:35:21
Page 64 of 101
FOI 24/25-1459 SGP KP Publishing – Guide – Identify home and living arrangements Appendix C - Specialist Disability Accommodation
Table of Contents
1 Recent updates …………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 4
2 Before you start …………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 5
3 Understand Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) ………………………………………… 6
4 Understand a new SDA decision ……………………………………………………………………………. 7
5 Understand existing or In-Kind SDA ………………………………………………………………………. 8
6 Understand participants transitioning to the NDIS …………………………………………………. 9
Table of Contents – 2 Page 65 of 101
FOI 24/25-1459 SGP KP Publishing – Guide – Identify home and living arrangements Appendix C - Specialist Disability Accommodation
This article provides guidance for a planner delegate, home and living delegate, internal review delegate and participant support officer to:
- understand specialist disability accommodation (SDA)
- understand a new SDA decision
- understand existing or in-kind SDA
- understand participants transitioning to the NDIS.
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FOI 24/25-1459 SGP KP Publishing – Guide – Identify home and living arrangements Appendix C - Specialist Disability Accommodation
1 Recent updates
December 2023
This guidance comes from Practice Guide Identifying housing solutions. We’ve made minor updates to change any SAP CRM language to PACE language. We’ll make improvements to this guidance in the future.
Recent updates – 4 Page 67 of 101
FOI 24/25-1459 SGP KP Publishing – Guide – Identify home and living arrangements Appendix C - Specialist Disability Accommodation
2 Before you start
You have:
- Our Guideline – Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) (external)
- article Guide – Identify home and living solutions.
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FOI 24/25-1459 SGP KP Publishing – Guide – Identify home and living arrangements Appendix C - Specialist Disability Accommodation
3 Understand Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA)
SDA can only be determined as meeting the NDIS funding criteria (external) for participants with extreme functional impairment or very high support needs. Other mainstream home and living options should be considered and explored as part of determining the home and living supports for a participant. The combination of SDA and other supports must provide greater benefit in pursuing a participant’s goals and outcomes and represent value for money compared to other options.
SDA is intended for participants where their accommodation needs and the supports within the home can’t be met by the types of housing available in the general market.
The National Disability Insurance Scheme (Specialist Disability Accommodation) SDA Rules 2020 (external) and Our Guideline – Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) (external) provide further guidance on how participants, providers and their dwelling are considered and managed by the NDIS.
SDA is capital funding the participant will receive in their NDIS plan for the SDA dwelling in which they live. Any other NDIS funded supports that may be provided within the dwelling are funded separately to the SDA and through a separate service agreement to the SDA.
The National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) projects that SDA demand will increase from about 22,900 participants in June 2022 to about 36,700 in June 2042, at an average growth rate of 2.4% per annum.
If SDA funding is included in the participant’s plan, it is expected this will assist in meeting the long-term outcomes for the participant and not be used as a transitional support. SDA payments to providers are made at the equivalent rate related to the type of SDA as shown in the participant plan. It’s not made based on the current accommodation price for the dwelling, unless the two are equal (where there is a difference between what the participant is found eligible for and the rate the dwelling is enrolled for, the lower price is paid).
There are a range of SDA building types and design categories specified in the SDA Rules 2020 (external) and SDA Pricing and Payments (external). The building types range from a single resident apartment to a group home for five residents. The SDA design categories are improved liveability, fully accessible, robust or high physical support.
The NDIS will consider the participant’s current living arrangements, their goals and aspirations in determining if SDA is appropriate. Therapeutic assessments will provide the evidence to further support the planning decision.
When it is identified that SDA is the most suitable home and living solution, the planner delegate must complete a housing application case to be considered by the Home and Living Operations Team.
Participants with SDA in their plan may be requested to make reasonable rent contributions to their SDA providers. This is capped at 25% of the base rate of the Disability Support Pension, plus any other government rent assistance payments received. SDA payments are paid to SDA providers through the plan and are separate to the participant rent contribution.
Understand Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) – 6 Page 69 of 101
FOI 24/25-1459 SGP KP Publishing – Guide – Identify home and living arrangements Appendix C - Specialist Disability Accommodation
4 Understand a new SDA decision
When the participant wishes to move into SDA for the first time or wishes to move to a different SDA dwelling, from an existing or in-kind SDA dwelling, this is considered to be new SDA.
For new SDA, the SDA support funding must not be included in the participant’s plan without referral for a housing application case decision.
The Home and Living Operations Team representative or the Complex Assessment Panel will review the participant’s SDA eligibility and provide a decision for the participant’s housing application. If the participant is eligible for SDA the housing application decision will include information on the eligible SDA type and level for the participant. This information is recorded in the Housing and Accommodation tab of the participant’s record.
For more information, go to articles Create and submit a home and living application and View and update a home and living application.
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FOI 24/25-1459 SGP KP Publishing – Guide – Identify home and living arrangements Appendix C - Specialist Disability Accommodation
5 Understand existing or In-Kind SDA
When the participant is already residing in an SDA dwelling when they transition to the NDIS they are considered to be an existing or in-kind SDA. For more information, go to articles Add specialist disability accommodation (SDA) funding and Add or remove in-kind supports.
Understand existing or In-Kind SDA – 8 Page 71 of 101
FOI 24/25-1459 SGP KP Publishing – Guide – Identify home and living arrangements Appendix C - Specialist Disability Accommodation
6 Understand participants transitioning to the NDIS
During transition, all participants already in disability-related supported accommodation which has been funded by either state, territory or Australian Government will be considered to meet the eligibility criteria for including SDA in their plan. The level of SDA funding approved will be at the same level required to match the enrolled SDA dwelling they already live in. Many existing dwellings are considered basic. According to SDA Rules 2020 (external), basic can’t be considered to be a participant’s appropriate SDA. As a result, many participants will be found to require a different (higher cost) SDA if they are assessed with the intention to move.
Note: It’s not expected that the participant once found eligible for SDA, would lose that eligibility. Participants are eligible for SDA if they can’t live in mainstream housing because of:
- an extreme functional impairment
- very high support needs
- their needs are most appropriately met by SDA.
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