While up to 36,000 people will be eligible for Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) payments in the next 20 years, little is known about the impact SDA has on the lives of people with disability who live there.
The Summer Foundation and La Trobe University are investigating this across 4 key indicators: health, wellbeing, community integration and paid support needs, through the Home and Living Outcome Framework study.
Early results from the pilot study are already showing large positive effects and significant improvements across all indicators.
Drawing on an initial sample of 15 NDIS participants living in well-located and well-designed SDA, the results of the pilot show that after moving into SDA:
- 60% had higher overall health
- 66% had improved wellbeing
- 73% felt better integrated within the community
- 21% no longer required overnight support
- Participants required 2 hours and 24 minutes less of daily support
These initial outcomes have important implications for policy, and demonstrate that suitable SDA can reduce the cost of support hours required for participants.
For example, the pilot study showed that a person living in single-occupant SDA needing 2.4 hours (2 hours and 24 minutes) less support per day could save the NDIS over $60,000 per person per year.
While yet to be quantified, improvements to health, wellbeing and community integration also have considerable value in terms of savings to be made.
Results like this start to build a rigorous evidence base for the creation of innovative, high-quality and fit-for-purpose SDA.
Are you about to move into SDA? We’re looking for more research participants.
Learn more about the study here, and register to have your say here.