What SDA is
Specialist Disability Accommodation, or SDA, is housing designed for people with extreme functional impairment or very high support needs. SDA homes have features that make daily life safer and easier, such as wider doorways, accessible kitchens and bathrooms, ceiling hoists or automated doors. SDA is the only NDIS funding that pays for the home itself.
What SDA funding covers
SDA funding covers the housing, not the support inside it and not your rent. If you live in an SDA home you pay a reasonable rent contribution and your own day-to-day costs, such as electricity. The support you receive at home is funded separately, for example through Supported Independent Living or other supports in your plan.
Who is eligible
Only some participants are eligible. The NDIA decides, based on whether you meet the SDA needs requirement and the NDIS funding criteria, and it usually needs evidence about your needs and your current housing. If you think SDA might suit you, start by talking to your support coordinator or local area coordinator. Our support coordination team can help you understand the process and what information is needed.
How we can help
We can talk you through how SDA and support fit together, help you think about what you need from a home, and provide the SIL or support work you need once you're settled. We don't advertise individual homes on this website; call us to talk about your situation. Every Psych Connect support worker holds an NDIS Worker Screening Check, a current First Aid and CPR certificate and has completed the NDIS “Quality, Safety and You” orientation. Workers who support children also hold a Blue Card.
Things to think about
- where you want to live and who you want to live with
- the design features you need now and in the future
- how your support will be arranged in the home
- how close you want to be to family, friends, work and activities
Questions to ask any SDA home
Before you decide on a home, it helps to ask who provides the support inside it and whether you can choose a different support provider, how rent and other costs are worked out, what happens if your needs change, and how the people living there are matched. A support coordinator can help you ask these questions and compare the answers, so you can make the choice that's right for you.