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Specialist Disability Accommodation

Specialist disability accommodation (SDA) is a range of special housing designed for people with significant functional impairment or very high needs. These accessible housing options assist you to remain independent in your own home, but also allows necessary supports to be in place for your safety.

This type of accommodation may be a shared home, or may be by yourself, depending on your needs.

 Requirements and Eligibility

  1. Have an extreme functional impairment or high support needs

  • This means you are unable or have significant difficulty completing daily tasks of living on your own, including self care (e.g. toileting, eating, showering), mobility and self management (e.g. housework, behaviour, social relationships).

  • High needs means you require assistance from someone else, utilise assistive technology or have home modifications.

  • You have minimal informal supports from family or friends

  • There are safety risks to you or others around you (e.g. you have a current behaviour support plan or restrictive practice plan).

2. Meet the specialist disability accommodation needs requirement

  • Will SDA combined with your other supports lead to better outcomes for your functional capacity, participation, and future needs?

  • Will other types of living options be suitable? (e.g. supported independent living)

3. Meet NDIS funding criteria

  • Does SDA help you to pursue your goals?

  • Is SDA effective and beneficial for you?

  • Is SDA value for money?

  • Is your housing best funded by NDIS? (i.e. consider government and community services)

  • Are there any risks?

See NDIS website for more information on eligibility.

SDA Consulting n.d., About SDA, SDA Consulting, https://sdaconsulting.com.au/about-sda/

Our Occupational Therapists have experience in assessing and applying for Specialist Disability Accomodation

How our Occupational Therapist’s can help

NDIS require evidence about your support needs and functional capacity via a report from an allied health professional, to determine whether you are eligible for SDA, and what the right type of home will be to suit you now and in the long term. Our occupational therapists are highly trained in providing thorough assessment and documentation to support you with this process. We then provide aftercare to ensure the new accomodation suits all of your needs.

Karen Laming