How do I know if I am eligible for SDA Funding?
One of the most common questions we receive is “how do I know if I am eligible for SDA housing funds? The answer often begins as such. To be eligible for SDA housing support, a person will need to have an extreme functional impairment OR very high support needs.
To demonstrate an extreme functional impairment, a person will have extremely reduced functional capacity in mobility and/or self-care and/or self-management OR extremely reduced psychosocial functioning in mobility and/or self-care and/or self-management.
To demonstrate very high support needs a person will have very high person-to-person support needs that need to be immediately available or constant for a significant part of the day OR have lived in SDA for a long time and transitioning to another housing option would impact their capacity and support.
For more information on SDA eligibility, please contact our tenancy support team on [email protected] or visit the NDIS website.
How do I start the process of getting SDA in my NDIS plan?
The first step to applying for SDA is to let the NDIA know that you have a housing goal. You will need to be specific about what you want and include why you need to move from where you are currently living, your housing preference and whether or not you want to live with other people. The NDIA can fund supports to help you in your housing search, this funding is called investigating housing solutions.
You will then need to gather evidence to support your need for SDA, including a housing goal in your NDIS plan and functional capacity assessment completed by an allied health professional (typically an Occupational Therapist). You may have other supporting assessments completed by your allied health team and should include these where available.
You will need to submit a Home and Living supporting evidence form and include the above supporting documentation in your application. It is very important that your documentation is clear and demonstrates why you need SDA according to the SDA rules. For more information on how to apply for SDA please contact our tenancy support team on [email protected] or visit the NDIS website.