frequently asked questions

• Type of NDIS Support: STA, also known as respite care, is a type of support included in the Core Supports budget of an NDIS plan. It provides temporary accommodation and assistance away from a participant’s usual home.
• Duration: It typically funds stays for up to 14 consecutive days at a time. Participants can usually receive up to 28 days of STA funding per year (with the possibility of extensions if approved by the NDIA).

Reasons for Using STA

• Respite for Carers: Provides a break for primary carers (family or friends) to rest, recharge, and attend to other needs.
• Participant Opportunities: Allows the person with a disability to try new things, develop skills, make friends, or simply experience a change of scenery.
• Transition or Crisis: Used during times of transition (e.g., post-hospital stay) or crisis when usual supports are unavailable.

How STA Works

1. NDIS Plan: STA funding may be included in a participant’s NDIS plan based on assessed need and how it supports their goals.
2. STA Provider: Participants choose a registered NDIS provider that offers short-term accommodation services. Providers have varying locations, support levels, and specialized offerings.
3. Accommodation Options: STA can take place in:
   • Group homes
   • Specialist holiday accommodation
   • A host family’s home

Benefits of STA

• Carer Wellbeing: Essential support for carers, preventing burnout and maintaining strong relationships.
• Participant Development: Promotes independence, social interaction, and new experiences for the individual with the disability.
• Flexibility: Can be used for planned breaks or as needed in unexpected situations.

• Type of NDIS Funding: MTA is a form of housing support under the NDIS, typically included in the participant’s Capital Supports budget.
• Purpose: It provides temporary, funded accommodation when a participant’s usual living situation is unsuitable while they wait for their long-term housing solution to be finalized.
• Duration: MTA is usually funded for up to 90 days, but extensions can be requested in certain circumstances.

Typical Reasons for Using MTA

• Home Modifications: While waiting for significant home modifications to be completed to increase accessibility.
• Transition to Long-Term Housing: When a participant has secured a place in Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA), but it’s not immediately available.
• Crisis Situations: When the participant’s current living arrangement becomes unsafe or unsustainable (e.g., hospital discharge, urgent need to relocate).

Type of NDIS Funding: MTA is a form of housing support under the NDIS, typically included in the participant’s Capital Supports budget.
Purpose: It provides temporary, funded accommodation when a participant’s usual living situation is unsuitable while they wait for their long-term housing solution to be finalized.
Duration: MTA is usually funded for up to 90 days, but extensions can be requested in certain circumstances.
Typical Reasons for Using MTA

Home Modifications: While waiting for significant home modifications to be completed to increase accessibility.
Transition to Long-Term Housing: When a participant has secured a place in Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA), but it’s not immediately available.
Crisis Situations: When the participant’s current living arrangement becomes unsafe or unsustainable (e.g., hospital discharge, urgent need to relocate).
How MTA Works

Eligibility: Participants must demonstrate:
A secured, long-term housing solution
The inability to live in their current accommodation while waiting
That MTA is reasonable and necessary to meet their needs in the interim.
NDIS Plan: If deemed eligible, MTA funding will be added to the participant’s plan, covering accommodation costs (rent, etc.).
Choosing a Provider: Participants work with their support coordinator or the NDIA to find a suitable MTA provider and accommodation option.

Important Notes

• MTA does not cover everyday living costs (food, utilities) – these need to be funded separately.
• Availability of MTA options can vary depending on location.

SIL is a funding category under the Core Supports budget of an NDIS plan, aimed at assisting people with disability to live independently in their own home or in shared accommodation.

Tailored Support: SIL provides funding for assistance with daily life tasks and skills development, helping participants live as independently as possible. Support can include:

• Personal care (showering, dressing, etc.)
• Household tasks (cleaning, cooking, laundry)
• Building skills for independent living (budgeting, transport, social interaction)
• Overnight support for those who need it

Who is eligible for SIL?
To be eligible for SIL funding, a participant typically needs to:

• High support needs: Require help with daily tasks throughout the day and may need overnight support.
• Independent Living Goals: Have a desire and capacity to live more independently, whether in their own home or a shared living environment.
• NDIS Assessment: Undergo an NDIS assessment that determines SIL is necessary and reasonable to achieve their goals.

How SIL Works

• NDIS Plan: SIL funding is included in a participant’s NDIS plan based on their assessed needs.
• Roster of Care: The funding includes a roster of care, outlining the specific supports a participant will receive and when.
• Service Provider: The participant chooses an NDIS-registered SIL provider to deliver the supports.
• Shared Living Arrangements: SIL often involves shared accommodation with 2-6 other NDIS participants, where everyone receives tailored support.

Benefits of SIL

• Independence: Promotes autonomy and choice for individuals with disabilities.
• Community Living: Allows participants to live in the community, not in specialized institutions.
• Skill Development: Helps participants learn life skills and increase their independence.
• Flexibility: Support services are tailored to the individual’s specific needs.

Ideally, it would be great if you did and then you might realise what Services and Support you could get but aren’t getting and may even need!

You are not the only one who has difficulty understanding the ‘language’ of the NDIS – data shows many people with NDIS Funding are only using about 70% of the funding in their Plan!

Contact us now to have a no-charge, no-obligation chat about how to make the most of your Funds in reaching for the best outcomes for you.

Based on feed back from NDIS Participants the things that are most needed and valued include:

• The preparedness and ability for Providers to take the time and really understand what a person needs and then providing the service and opportunities that empower people to lead the life they want.
• The service and support has to be of a quality standard that is acceptable to each person, consistent and sustainable and able to be flexible (if needs change). True collaboration and trust is absolutely necessary and not negotiable and are values that drive us at Morang Community Care Disability Services every day– put us to the test – you can choose to!

We deal with a wide range of organisations and individuals operating in the Disability sector and are often surprised at the lack of knowledge, NDIS client focus understanding of what client ‘choice and control’ really means – big barriers!

It’s clear from what many people who have used other Providers before connecting with us, that other Providers are focused on their own processes, systems, financial objectives and similar targets – consequently inconsistent quality of support, poor communication and dissatisfaction in general follows.

As we mention in a Question above, it can be a challenge to understand the language and terminology used in NDIS Plans.

Following on, many people, particularly if it’s their first Plan, understandably don’t know what type of supports and services are available to them and or where to get them.

Connect with us to have a no-charge, no-obligation chat about what might be possible and options for you – we are connected with a wide range of Providers e.g. Allied Health professionals and if we can’t help you with services directly, we may well know people who can.

A simple and easy way to think of NDIS Funding is regardless of your age, cultural back ground or abilities, that it can give you access to supports and services that otherwise might not be available to you. It helps you move towards living the life you choose.

Talk to us about what you really want to do and let’s see how you might move forward in the most empowering way for you.

Our experience is that it is very important to prepare for all Planning / Review Meetings or indeed, any discussion with NDIS Local Area Coordinators or Planners – you want to be sure decision makers fully understand your needs and that nothing is missed, and that you receive the right Funding support for all needs.

You need to be talk about your ‘worst days’ as opposed to your best – you need the right supports for yourself at the most difficult times.

Ideally, write down what your worst days look like and how they affect you and how you felt, and be sure you record all the details.

Identify what you think you really need to make your life better that you don’t have now (or don’t have enough).

As examples, would you like to have more social contact? Maybe attending some of the excellent Local Council social / activity groups. Would it be safer and easier for you if you had reinforced railings in your bathroom?

Try and be as specific as possible about your needs, what the impacts are on you and want you believe would make a positive difference to you.