The last couple of months have been an incredibly challenging and uncertain time. It goes without saying that the next number of weeks will also present increasing challenges, forcing us to change the way we communicate, work and live. So, it was welcome news from the NDIA that there will be a number of temporary changes to assist both participants and providers through this difficult time. These changes included price increases, the potential for registered providers to claim advance payments to improve cash flow, and most exciting for participants, Support Coordination line items falling under Core Supports.
The NDIA information page can be found at https://www.ndis.gov.au/providers/price-guides-and-pricing
This is significant for Specialist Disability Accommodation, because a key barrier to entry we are seeing around Australia for participants likely to be eligible for SDA, is the lack of Support Coordination funding needed to produce necessary documents (such as the Housing Report). This means that a plan review is needed to obtain the funding for Support Coordination to produce the required documents, or participants have to pay for it privately!
Now that Support Coordination is covered under Core Supports, participants curious about their SDA eligibility will be able to discuss this with a Support Coordinator without having to first get a plan review to obtain Support Coordination funding to explore these options.
Key documentation needed to complete an application for SDA, such as the varied allied health reports required as evidence, will still need to be sourced from an Occupational Therapist (which comes under a separate funding line item). However, at least you can now engage a Support Coordinator in the short term to assist with this guidance and inform the next best steps.
Who To Choose
Choosing a capable and experienced Support Coordinator is absolutely essential! Having an inexperienced Support Coordinator prepare documents and liaise with the NDIA on your behalf could add unnecessary wait time to decisions. Always seek feedback and recommendations from trusted sources for the best Support Coordinators to get the right job done.
Get in contact with us if you are looking for skilled Support Coordinators specialising in housing/SDA. We work with a number of them who have achieved fantastic results in various states.
