SIL Overview 101

What’s the difference between SIL, SDA, STA, MTA and ILO?

SIL- Supported independent living supports people with disabilities to help them live as independently as possible.

SIL funding is typically for people who need 24/7 support while living in a shared home. It exists to cover the cost of the support staff in the house.

SDA- Specialist disability accommodation (SDA) is a range of housing designed for people with extreme functional impairment or very high support needs. 
SDA dwellings have accessible features to help residents live more independently and allow other supports to be delivered better or more safely.

STA- Short-Term Accommodation is a way of providing respite care that allows both carrer and client to have a break or a change of scenery. Short-term accommodation isn’t just about the accommodation, it also involves the support you receive, food and activities while staying there. Depending on the provider, activities might include art therapy sessions, group fitness activities, or day trips.

MTA- Medium Term Accommodation (also known as MTA) is transitional accommodation for NDIS participants who are preparing to move into a more permanent home. The NDIS funds MTA for eligible participants for up to 90 days. This is so people with disabilities aren’t forced into an age care facility or made to wait longer than needed.

ILO- Individualised living options are a package of supports that lets you choose where and how you live in the way that best suits you.  You can use ILO funding to explore different life ways – with friends, family or a host. Design a support package to help you live the way you choose 

What is Supported Independent Living?

Supported independent living supports people with disabilities to help them live as independently as possible. SIL funding is typically for people who need 24/7 support while living in a shared home. It exists to cover the cost of the support staff in the house.

What does supported independent living include?

As long as it meets the NDIS funding criteria, supported independent living may include: 

• help with personal care 
• help to build skills in things like meal preparation and cooking, cleaning, and developing a routine 
• help to action any behaviour support plans 
• help to develop social skills 
• support with supervision, personal safety and security 
• support giving medication 
• supporting medical appointments 
• community access that is not routine or regular, for example, support to complete personal tasks 
• support to get to and from community access activities.

What does Supported independent living not include?

Supported independent living does not include day-to-day living costs not related to your disability support needs, such as: 

• the cost of groceries
• rent, board or lodging costs 
• utilities such as gas, electricity, water, telephone, or internet bills 
• vehicle costs. 
• household budgeting or bill-paying activities 
• expenses related to holidays, including travel costs. 
•  paid personal support while you’re admitted to hospital. 
• paid personal support if you’re in custody or to implement community supervision orders. 
• nursing, medical, palliative care and other health-related supports

Who can live in a Support Independent Living (SIL)?

Supported independent living is best suited to people with a disability who have higher support needs. This means the client requires significant help throughout the day, 7 days a week. This includes overnight support.

How do you get SIL Funding in the Client's Ndis Plan?

A provider applies for Supported Independent Living funding. The provider must submit for approval a SIL Quote, RoC and any assessments of the client's disability support and housing needs -allied health professional reports -reports about your daily support needs.

Definition for Lower, Standard and Higher Needs?

Lower needs: - This support provides supervision of living arrangements as a whole, including occasional to intermittent prompting to undertake household tasks and/or self-care activities: 

- Supervision is not usually provided 24/7; supervision may be provided via off-site monitoring if appropriate 

- If the participant has had incidents of challenging behaviour, a behaviour support plan is in place, and it is demonstrated that the participant can be supported effectively within the available support 

- Where a participant has additional support needs, they may be supported in this living arrangement through a mix of additional paid and informal supports 

Standard needs: This support provides 24/7 support which includes: 

- Active assistance or supervision of most daily tasks 

- Regular inactive overnight (sleepover) 

- Participants may be able to spend some time with their family or a friend without paid support and may call on them for incidental assistance or companionship 

- If the participant has episodic or occasional challenging behaviours, there is a behaviour support plan in place which has been demonstrated to support the person within the available support effectively 

Higher needs: This support provides highly frequent (at least 1 instance per shift) assistance to the individual where features such as: 

-Managing challenging behaviours that require intensive positive behaviour support; 

- Continual, active assistance with all daily tasks; 

- Active management of complex medical needs such as ventilation; 

- Active support is provided 24/7, usually with an active overnight shift; 

- Inactive overnight sleepover may be included as an exception, for example, when family or friends sleepover; 

- May include higher staffing ratios at peak periods, for episodic or incidental behaviour supports, or emergency medical needs (e.g. seizure management or discharge from hospital)

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More Information...

Ndis Commission - https://www.ndis.gov.au/providers/housing-and-living-supports-and-services/supported-independent-living-provider-guidance