Australian Government Response to the Joint Standing Committee on the National Disability Insurance Scheme Report into Supported Independent Living
The Joint Standing Committee on the NDIS (the Committee) released a report into Supported Independent Living (SIL) (the report) on 13 May 2020.
The Australian Government welcomes the Committee’s report and recognises the role of the Committee in improving participant experience with the NDIS and the current processes and oversight of the scheme by the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA), the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission (NDIS Commission) and the Department of Social Services (the department).
The report contains 45 recommendations for the NDIA, the NDIS Commission and the department. The recommendations cover a number of elements of SIL, including:
- The process for determining the SIL needs of participants
- The length and complexity of the SIL quoting process and the lack of participant involvement
- Limited public information and guidance on the provision of SIL
- Funding for SIL
- Oversight of participants accessing SIL services
- Issues with the vacancy management process
- Availability of decision support and advocacy for people seeking SIL.
The recommendations confirm a number of factors that are driving the Government’s current reform agenda for SIL and home and living options.
The Government supports or supports in principle 25 of the recommendations made in the report. Given the ongoing reforms to the provision of SIL being progressed by the NDIA, the Government notes the remaining 20 recommendations made by the Committee.