The National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) together with the Queensland Government’s Department of Child Safety, Seniors and Disability Services (DCSSDS), is updating in-kind Supported Independent Living (SIL) and Short-Term Accommodation (STA) supports for National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) participants.
Under the old system, these supports were delivered through an ‘in-kind’ service known as Accommodation Support and Respite Services (AS&RS). The new system offers the same kind of supports, but participants will be able to purchase them directly from their provider using funds in their NDIS plans.
The old arrangements will be phased out by 31 December 2023, but will remain in place until funds are available in NDIS plans to begin the new arrangements.
There will be no interruption to Supported Disability Accommodation supports.
What does this mean for me?
The NDIA is working with participants, their families, and with AS&RS, to gather any information required to transition their STA support to plan reassessment discussions.
When the in-kind arrangement ends, the NDIS will fund SIL and STA via a participant’s NDIS plan.
This means the participant will use the funding from their NDIS plan to pay for supports.
This change will apply to about 400 SIL and 103 STA NDIS participants supported by AS&RS.
The NDIA is contacting participants and their families to discuss these changes to in-kind funding.
Existing arrangements will remain in place until the in-kind arrangements end on 31 December 2023.
There will be no interruption to current supports.
How do I get ready for this change?
Participants can still access in-kind supports through AS&RS.
Once the in-kind arrangement stops, participants can purchase supports directly from providers using their plan funds.
This means a participant can choose to purchase supports from AS&RS or engage a new provider, as has been the case for the past few years.
For more information, you can send an email to [email protected] or call 1800 800 110.