Navigating The Home And Living Supports Request Form

2021 was the year of change in the Home and Living space

This makes 2022 the year of action, but it’s a battle between the agencies and providers – who is acting and who is reacting?

The common thread in ALL the Home and Living Operational Guidelines – the reference of, and direction to, the Home and Living Supports Request Form. Throughout all the documentation, NDIA have used passive aggressive language stating that they will decide on the home and living journey by asking participants to complete the Home and Living Supports Request Form as an initial step. This tone of the Agency cannot be underestimated.

The Home and Living Supports Request Form

While seemingly simple in its completion, the Home and Living Supports Request Form is not, and should not, be the starting point of the home and living journey.

From an Agency perspective it is clear they are using this form to decide funding pathways for individuals looking at accommodation. There needs to be very careful consideration as to what preparation work needs to be done before completing and submitting this form. Considerations needs to be given to the following areas:

• Timing – have you completed required assessments to ensure you get a Home and Living package that allows you to live an ordinary life or is the submission of the form to request funding to explore home and living further?
• Vision – are you completing the Home and Living Supports Request Form with your ideal home and living supports in mind – this will direct how you answer questions on the form.
• Content and evidence – do not submit the Home and Living Supports Request Form on its own. As with everything insurance based, make sure clinical evidence is attached as part of the form.

The Home and Living Supports Request Form will direct funding. It is important that it is completed with a clear view of the type of accommodation funding being asked for. Vital questions contained within the form will provide direction to the Agency as to the accommodation pathway, so knowledge on these questions and how to answer them is imperative.

Following on from earlier blogs it is also vital to acknowledge that Home and Living is not, nor should it be, only Supported Independent Living (SIL). The SIL Operational Guidelines clearly state that ROC and SIL quotes are no longer needed on an annual basis and therefore funding outside of CPI increases is not periodically reviewed. The other acknowledgement lies in the fact that the Agency can now initiate a SIL review at their will meaning that funding and financial modelling is very difficult in a SIL environment.

How does this relate to the Home and Living Supports Request Form? Preparation, preparation, preparation – make sure your timing, vision and content is on point so that whatever Home and Living journey a participant is requesting is evident to the Agency. This will support the correct pathway from the start.

As is the case in a game of chess, the Agency have moved their knight with a clear view to set up for checkmate. Preparation, from both an organisation (accommodation options and modelling) as well as an individual (exploration and proactive and informed home and living requests) is the only move that will defend against the knight and support end of game.

Please contact us to discuss your individual Home and Living needs.