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Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) is a home which has been specially designed for people with high support needs and access requirements.

Unlike the supported independent living (SIL) within the NDIS, SDA does not focus on support services, but instead the physical homes in which they are delivered. For people with high support and care needs, finding a home that provides them with the same rights as any other member of society is difficult. Due to lack of housing and funding available more than 6,200 young people are currently living in aged care, with young people occupying more than 20% of all aged care places in some parts of the country. SDA aims to provide housing solutions that ensure these individuals are not living in places where their social and emotional needs are not being met.

For accommodation to be suitable for SDA requirements it must comply with certain standards and characteristics that meet participants’ needs and the nature of their disability. You can learn more about SDA requirements here.

These standards are specified by the NDIS and align with Livable Housing Australia guidelines. You can find out more about them here. As Livable Housing Assessors, Optimal Living Therapy can provide assessments and certifications through site and desktop audits. We can also help with the NDIS application process in regards to ensuring your property is SDA compliant. We are very familiar with SDA requirements and can provide invaluable knowledge to guide you through this complex process.

SDA aims to enable independence, social participation and exercising control and choice in matters that affect your life. By providing funding to those who require specialist housing solutions, the SDA helps to promote independence, which greatly improves the lives of those who have very high support needs, extreme functional impairment or who meet other specific eligibility criteria. Through the development of SDA, the NDIS aims to ensure that all persons with disability have the same rights as any other member of Australian society.

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