Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) and disability support services in Sydney is a type of housing designed for enabling eligible participants of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) to receive support for living in the community. It aims to improve their support. To be eligible for NDIS Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) & supported accommodation across Sydney funding, participants need to have high support needs or have an extreme functional impairment. Through SDA funding, capital costs of living and supporting investment in a high-quality dwelling are provided. It is not for a person to person support.
Diverse participant needs have to be met by providers in innovative ways. The SDA dwellings market is developing and it has led to diversification from group homes that had shared home supports and were constructed under territory and state systems to smaller, newer dwellings that are equipped with the latest models for supporting participants.
Opportunity
SDA funding is forecasted to increase to as much as $700 million a year at full scheme. It is attracting investment and stimulating new dwelling development.
Access to Specialist Disability Accommodation Funding
The NDIA is responsible for assessing is a person qualifies for SDA in accordance with the NDIS Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) throughout Sydney Rules, 2016. The NDIA provides SDA eligible participants with funding. It considers the goals and requirements of the participant to calculate the amount of funding to provide for NDIS assisted living facilities and specialist accommodation in Sydney. The following are considered by the NDIA.
- Location: It is determined according to the participant’s needs and goals in terms of money.
- Dwelling Type: The participant’s needs and goals help determine their dwelling type.
- Design Category: The support needs of the participants allow their design category to be determined.
For instance, a participant might need to be located in Collingwood (location) at a studio unit (dwelling type) that is robust (design category). Then, the participant will be able to use the funding for finding a dwelling that meets their support needs and goals. It is important to keep in mind that SDA funding is offered to participants and not a dwelling. It is the participant that is provided with funding to move into a dwelling.
How Does SDA Pay Providers?
Providers can claim SDA or NDIS Supported Independent Living (SIL) in Sydney funding when the participant moves to the SDA-enrolled dwelling. There are different SDA price limits that are set based on the dwelling type. Keep in mind that the prices increase each year in line with the CPI.
Support Resources
There are plenty of support resources that one can use, such as rehabilitation services in Sydney. For instance, the Local Care Workforce Regional Coordinator helps identify opportunities within your area. Additional resources such as the Get Building SDA Knowledge Hub and the Australian Summer Foundation can also be accessed for support. There are many other resources that are readily available – if in doubt contact your NDIS disability support services officer in Sydney.