NDIS Housing Speak (Glossary)

This is the type of building that you can live in if funded for Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) 

• Apartment
• House
• Townhouse/Villa/Duplex
• Group home

• The NDIA uses the term Group home to describe one of the four building types of SDA
• They are houses that have 4 to 5 residents. 

• Houses that are operated by private businesses that provide paid support workers. These houses may provide personal care, nursing, housekeeping, meals and laundry services, within a shared care model, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Sometimes, the company who owns or leases the house (the “landlord”) is different from the company that provides support to you in the house (the “support provider”).
• Accommodation shared by 2-6 unrelated people with disabilities who live under one roof or on one site and for whom twenty-four-hour staff support is available. 
• Group home is an older term which you may still hear used.

• This describes design elements that would better accommodate ageing in place and people with higher mobility needs. This level requires more generous dimensions for most of the core livable design elements and introduces additional elements for features such as the living room and flooring.

A location is included when funding SDA. To decide what location is included, the NDIA looks at 

• The location you want to live in and if it helps pursue your goals
• Where you live now and where you’ve lived before
• Which location would help with connections to community, services and support networks.

The location factors are set out in Appendix E and Appendix F of the SDA Price Guide.

• This is funding for somewhere to live if you can't move into your long term home because your disability supports aren't ready.
• Medium term accommodation isn’t a standalone support. It can be  included in your plan as part of your other home and living supports. It’s generally funded for 90 days. Funding for medium term accommodation only covers the cost of the accommodation for the time you stay there. It’s a temporary and extra cost you have due to your disability support needs.

• This is where you pay the SDA provider your share of the costs of renting the home.
• The most an SDA provider can charge you is an amount equal to:
• 25% of the Disability Support Pension (including Pension Supplement)
• The full amount of Commonwealth Rent Assistance
• You can find out more on the NDIS website here.
• If you choose to live in your SDA home with family or friends, the SDA provider can ask them to pay a reasonable amount of rent too.

• Including respite, this is support for when you need to live out of home for a short period.
• Short Term Accommodation funding can be used for respite to support you and your carers. This gives your carers a short break from their caring role.
• Sometimes a short stay away from home:
• Gives you the chance to try new things
• Can be a place to make new friends or develop new skills
• May help to maintain your current living situation by giving your informal supports a break.
• Short Term Accommodation may suit your needs if your usual support network isn’t available for a short period. 
• Short Term Accommodation includes:
• Personal care
• Accommodation
• Food 
• Activities you and the provider agree to
• It’s generally funded for up to 28 days.. You can use your Short Term Accommodation funding flexibly.

• Funding for a customised home for participants with very high functional impairment or high support needs. SDA funding is for the ongoing management, maintenance, and lifecycle planning of the property. 
• Once the NDIS decides you are eligible for SDA, this will be an ongoing payment and will not need to be reassessed unless your needs or preferences change. 
• This funding is for the physical building only, not the participants' support within the home. There are five main categories of SDA funding for a participant
• Aside from the design category, the other things that impact the amount of funding are the dwelling (building type), the location factor (where you want to live), the number of residents/bedrooms and the Onsite Overnight Assistance OOA.

• This type of SDA has no special accessibility features. This is no longer built. It is a term that is used to describe older group homes that were included when SDA was first introduced.

• Housing with better physical access. It also has more features for people with sensory, intellectual or cognitive impairments. For example, you may need walls and floors that are very easy to see, living areas that mean your support workers can see you easily, or very few stairs in your home.

• Incorporates a high level of physical access provisions for people with significant functional impairment.
• This design category must meet a minimum standard of Livable Housing Australia Platinum Level and include features for improved accessibility both inside and out. The external doors and outdoor private areas must be accessible by wheelchair and the bathroom vanity and hand basin should be accessible in either a seated or standing position.
• There should be a power supply to doors and windows (blinds) for retrofit of automation as necessary, plus, you must also consider if the kitchen sink, bench, cooktop and key appliances (oven, microwave, dishwasher, washing machine and dryer) should be accessible from a seated or standing position in order to meet resident’s needs.

• High Physical Support properties feature a high level of physical access provisions for people with significant physical impairment who require very high levels of support. High Physical Support housing includes all the requirements listed in the Fully Accessible design category, plus structural provisions for ceiling hoists and 950mm clear opening width doors to all habitable rooms. They are also assistive technology ready, have heating, cooling and household communications technology and include emergency power solutions to cater for a minimum two-hour power outage if the welfare of residents is at risk.
• For compliance, all SDA dwellings must be designed and maintained to a standard that is consistent with the surrounding properties and neighbourhood, must recognise the importance of outdoor areas and must be built on land that is an adequate size for the number of residents.

• Robust housing must incorporate a high level of physical access provisions and be built to Livable Housing Australia Silver Level.
• It must also be very resilient, to minimise risk to the participant and the community and reduce the likelihood of reactive maintenance.
• To achieve this, Robust dwellings make use of resilient but inconspicuous materials that can reduce the risk of injury and disturbances and cope with heavy use.
• This includes secure windows, doors and external areas, high impact wall lining, fittings and fixtures such as blinds and door handles, soundproofing, and laminated glass.
• The design should also include adequate space and safeguards to support the needs of residents with complex behaviours and provide areas of retreat for other residents and staff to avoid harm. 
• Breakout room: Breakout rooms are separate rooms within Robust specialist disability accommodation designed to respond to the participant’s needs. The rooms are designed to provide opportunities for learning, relaxation or exploring — often, these rooms house lighting and sound equipment to support appropriate activities for the participants.

• The SDA provider is the landlord of the NDIS participant living in the SDA property.
• The SDA Provider receives SDA funding from the NDIS which includes the cost of the home or building you live in.
• An SDA Provider must be registered through the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission to enrol an SDA dwelling.

• It is also possible for a person with SDA funding to be a “self-provider”. That is, they purchase their own home with assistance from SDA payments. A self-provider needs to be registered as an SDA provider, and they must enrol their home with the NDIA as an SDA dwelling.

• Supported Residential Facilities (SRF) provide accommodation and personal care for people who require low-level assistance, accommodation and support, staffed 24 hours a day,  days a week. They can access services both within the facilities and through external providers. Personal care services may include help with bathing and dressing, managing medication and supplying healthy food, or even help with personal finances. Each SRF determines the services it offers and its fees. Both SRF and SRS can have up to 80 residents, depending on the size of the accommodation.

• This type of accommodation is the same as SRF; the name changes depending on the state you live in. Supported Residential Services (SRS), provide accommodation and personal care for people who require low-level assistance, accommodation and support, staffed 24 hours x 7 day. They can access services both within the facilities and through external providers. Personal care services may include help with bathing and dressing, managing medication and supplying healthy food, or even help with personal finances.
• There are two main types of SRS: ‘pension-level’ and ‘pension-plus’.
• Pension-level facilities charge residents around 85-95% of the aged or disability pension for their room, meals and support.
• Pension-plus facilities set their own fees and vary in the range of additional services and support offered.
• The majority of pension-level SRS support a diverse mix of residents including those who are ageing to younger people referred from mental health or homelessness services

Anyone who is employed or otherwise engaged to provide NDIS supports and services to people with disability, including;

• Daily personal care to support independent living such as bathing, eating and grooming
• Achieving work or study goals
• Transport to enable participation in community, social, economic and daily life activities
• Household tasks-including cooking, cleaning and washing laundry to maintain a client’s home environment
• Companionship and social support such as learning a new skill or support to be involved in the community.

• Individualised living options (ILO) is support to live the way that suits you. ILO funding does not pay for a house. 
• Using your ILO funding, you can: explore different ways to live – with a host or housemate designing your supports to help you live the way you choose. 
• There are lots of choices with ILO. 
• You can share your home with housemates or you might live in the home of a host. The purpose of ILO is for you to live in a way that best suits you. 
• Your ILO and the funding that meets the criteria will be specific to your needs and in one of the three bands for both stage 1 and stage 2. 

More information about ILO can be found here.

• Funding for a type of support (sometimes available in SDA) which is paid out of your NDIS plan which you can utilise for any non rostered supports you might require.

• On-site shared support can provide for ad hoc or unplanned needs (such as help retrieving items not within reach) or for planned needs (such as help getting into bed). There is no list of supports that can or cannot be provided by OSS – this should be negotiated between the tenant and OSS provider according to the tenant’s needs and provider capacity. The key is that these support arrangements are individualised and flexible.

• This is one type of support to help you live in your home. It includes help or supervision with daily tasks, like personal care or cooking meals. It helps you live as independently as possible, while building your skills. SIL is a form of support but is sometimes used to describe a type of housing- “SIL house”.

• A person who is between the ages of 9 and 65 years old, has a recognised disability can apply to Access the NDIS for funding. The Access Request Form can be found on the NDIS website to download. 
• The ARF is filled out by your doctor or health professional that knows how your disability impacts your functional ability. 
• Your Local Area Coordinator can support you with lodging your Access Request Form or you can call the NDIS on 1800 800 110; they will ask you to send or email your Access Request Form to the agency.

• A behaviour support plan is a document prepared in consultation with the person with disability, their family, carers, and other support people. It focuses on the needs of the person identified as having complex behaviours of concern. This funding is in your capacity building if you discussed this with your Planner/LAC.

• Capacity Building Supports help build your independence and skills to help you pursue your goals, i.e. Therapy based support.

• Capital Supports include higher-cost pieces of assistive technology, equipment and home or vehicle modifications, and funding for one-off purchases you may need (including Specialist Disability Accommodation).

• Core Supports help you with everyday activities, your current disability-related needs and to work towards your goals.

• A support coordinator or specialist support coordinator helps you understand your plan, assists you in finding the right support workers and/or Allied Health Professionals to support you with your goals in your NDIS plan. This funding is in your capacity building if you have requested or discussed this with your Planner/LAC.
• There are three levels of support coordination that can be included in your plan:
1. Support connection – This support is to build your ability to connect with informal, community and funded supports enabling you to get the most out of your plan and pursue your goals.
2. Support coordination – coordination of supports: This support will assist you to build the skills you need to understand and use your plan. A support coordinator will work with you to ensure a mix of supports are used to increase your capacity to maintain relationships, manage service delivery tasks, live more independently and be included in your community.
3. Specialist support coordination – This is a higher level of support coordination. It is for people whose situations are more complex and who need specialist support. A specialist Support Coordinator will assist you to manage challenges in your support environment and ensure consistent delivery of service.

• This is a thorough assessment of your abilities and needs across various aspects of everyday life. The FCA is completed by your occupational therapist and addresses communication, mobility, self-care, social participation, learning and working.  
• At the end of an FCA, you should receive a detailed report that outlines the necessary supports for an enhanced quality of life. The funding for an FCA is in the capacity building section of your NDIS plan and is used by the Occupational Therapist.

Goals are things you want to pursue. You might need support from the NDIS and other supports and services to help you pursue them. 

Your goals might include:

• where and how you want to live
• building your skills and doing more things yourself
• working or studying now or in the future
• doing social and recreation activities now or in the future
• building friendships or connecting with your family.

• Local area coordinators support people with disability to create and work towards their goals, build capacity to make their own decisions and choices and access the supports they need to live the life they choose. You can find out more here.

• Once you’re an NDIS participant, you will receive communication from the NDIA to have your First Planning Meeting scheduled.
• Your NDIS plan sets out your goals and the supports that will help you pursue those goals; this might be therapy, support workers and assistive technology to support your functionality.
• Your plan will be just for you. You can have as many goals as you want in your plan and they can be as long as you want.

• Occupational therapy (OT) is a branch of health care that helps people of all ages who have physical, sensory, or cognitive problems. OT can help them regain independence in all areas of their lives. Occupational therapists help with barriers that affect a person's emotional, social, and physical needs. Funding for the OT can be found in your capacity building on your Plan.

• A person with disability who meets the access requirements to receive funding from the NDIS.

• An NDIS planner is a professional trained to help NDIS participants navigate the NDIS system and develop their individual NDIS plans. 
• The planner works with the participant to understand their support needs, goals, and aspirations and then creates a plan that outlines the supports and services that the participant will receive.

• If you want/need support to make decisions or you have someone who can speak to the NDIS on your behalf, you can nominate a Plan Nominee
• The role of a nominee is voluntary, which means they don’t get paid. If you have a nominee, they’ll be responsible for making decisions about your business with the NDIS and doing things on your behalf. They must listen to your wishes and do things that support your personal and social well being. They must also try to help you learn how to make your own decisions. 

• Includes those who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual or sensory impairments which in interaction with various barriers may hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others.

• When you agree to use your NDIS budget to pay for supports, you are entering into a contract with your provider.
• A service agreement is an agreement between you and your provider that makes it clear what you have both agreed to. It is covered by Australian Consumer Law.
• Making a service agreement is a negotiation between you and your provider. You can ask another person to help you do this, such as a family member or friend.
• Your provider may have a standard service agreement that you may like to use, or you can create your own.  
• Providers should support you to understand any service agreement using the language and way of communicating you understand.
• A written service agreement must be in place for Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) supports under the NDIS

• A Service provider is a person, business or organisation who delivers NDIS funded supports to participants.
• Providers have different areas of experience and expertise. 
• It's important to find the right providers to meet your needs. Providers can be large companies, charities, small not-for-profits, sole traders, or any other type of business. 
• NDIS registered providers are regulated by the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission . 
• All providers (registered or unregistered) must adhere to the NDIS Code of Conduct.