The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) has been designed to help those individuals who are managing a physical or mental impairment with their day-to-day needs.
The government initiative was started in earnest by the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) in 2013 and since that period, it has been periodically rolled out for a range of clients up and down the country.
For those who require NDIS accommodation, there has been a concerted effort by public bodies to ensure a degree of consultation to canvas feedback and drive forward with a positive agenda.
Close to 50,000 citizens under 65 have required help with their condition under this program, and as that number increases, it is vital that communities across the country educate themselves about the rules and conditions that have been issued.
Those individuals who need assistance with this practice or are in direct contact with those that do will have certain issues and questions that they will want to have addressed.
Here we will delve into the key talking points that clients and their carers should know.
NDIS Accommodation Designed To Eliminate Confusion and Red Tape
Prior to 2013, there was a lack of clarity and provisions for those of the disabled community who wanted to seek viable housing. By accessing their independence, the initiative was rolled out to ensure that these participants could be signed up for NDIS accommodation and bypass the political and commercial gridlock.
State governments blamed federal bodies and vice versa, all the while people living with impairments were left frustrated. Now there are measures in place to help carry the burden and offer financial incentives and assistance where necessary. There is still a great deal of progress needed on this practice, but participants are making strides with their accommodation needs.
Governments Consulting With Participants Through Evaluations
There is no doubt that NDIS accommodation cannot be successful without the engagement of those who are going to be utilizing the program. During the initial phases of the roll out, individuals were canvased about their reactions and feedback as they were liaised with the representatives. The Victorian members voiced their reservations about specific policies that revolved around social housing capacity, the division between housing and support measures, the potential inclusion of government-owned properties and the application of data when assessing demand for housing. This evaluation is an ongoing process where all state bodies are consulted.
Support Measures For Carers At Home
When we think about NDIS accommodation, it is often from the perspective of the individual with the disability, and rightly so. Yet it is the carer who is so often overlooked as they carry the responsibility to offer transport, carry out the cooking and cleaning duties, and to be consistently on hand in case of emergencies. Many of these dedicated carers are parents or close loved ones who have to sacrifice their career or their social life, and this is where the scheme enables some concessions to lighten that load. In this instance, the carer can utilize community access or in-home support to free up that time and allow for a greater degree of work-life balance to take place. They might appear small moments of respite, but for those individuals they can make a world of difference.
SDA Guidelines
The central scheme that has been developed under the umbrella of NDIS accommodation is the Specialist Disability Accommodation, or SDA for short. Only a small selection of participants under the NDIS (6% according to the latest figures) are eligible for this particular program. Rather than cover the rental costs that are incurred by residents living with disabilities, this will work to cover specific housing-related equipment and provisions that have to be included or created, such as guardrails or special protective security measures. SDA plans have to be calculated on a case-by-case basis so it is important for all participants to open a dialogue with their provider to understand what they are eligible for.
3 Unique Levels of Supported Living
Having outlined the case-by-case nature of the SDA guidelines, it should be understood that assisted living requirements through NDIS accommodation will ultimately fall into one of three levels. This will begin with clients of lower needs where unique living arrangements can be assisted part-time. The following level is for standard clients where daily necessities are supported by a round-the-clock active assistance framework.
The higher needs category is for extreme cases where a carer must always be present to perform medical tasks and support for intensive measures. Once a family understands which of those categories that fit into regarding NDIS accommodation, the remainder of the process should be simple.
Summary
Education with NDIS accommodation is being experienced from all quarters, including participants of the scheme, carers and government bodies. Heading into year 6 of the program, it is important for continued dialogue to take place and for feedback to be submitted, allowing for the disabled community to obtain their independence and to receive the support they need to lead a fulfilling life.