To get Specialist Disability Accommodation – or SDA payments in your NDIS Plan, the NDIS has to decide that you are eligible for SDA.
The NDIS has said that only people with an “extreme functional impairment” or “very high support needs” can be eligible, so you need to be able to show that you fit into one of these groups.
It really helps to have a good support coordinator, who can help you show the NDIS that you have an extreme functional impairment or very high support needs. You might actually have both, but you only have to show the NDIS that one of these applies to you. Usually it’s better to pick the one that best applies to you and make sure you explain that really well, instead of trying to show how both apply to you.
For the NDIS to think about putting SDA payments in your NDIS Plan, they must be sure that SDA payments are a reasonable and necessary way of supporting you to reach your goals. So make sure that one of the goals in your NDIS Plan is to live as independently as possible.
It also really helps to get in touch with a great occupational therapist – or OT – who can write a report that shows how living in SDA will help you live a good life and reach your goals.
The Housing Hub also has Home and Living Specialists who can help you get your SDA paperwork right.
For more info email: housingoptions@housinghub.org.au, or call our Housing Advice Line on 1300 61 64 63.
Back to SDA explainer video series – How do I get SDA funding?