Short-Term Accommodation (STA) Explained

Are you or a loved one looking for short-term accommodation options? Have you heard of STA? It stands for Short-Term Accommodation and it’s an all-inclusive support service for personal care, accommodation, food, and activities. Here are some things to keep in mind:

What is STA?

• It is an all-inclusive support for personal care, accommodation, food & activities.
• It can be used for respite to support you. It can give your carers a short break from their caring role or when your usual support network isn’t available.
• It can be a short stay away from home to give you a chance to try new things, make new friends, or develop new skills.

What is included in STA?

• Personal care
• Accommodation
• Food
• Activities (you and the provider agree to)
• Transport (fuel, taxi, bus/train fare)

What is not included in STA?

• Flights
• Consumable items such as clothing, gifts, alcohol, etc.

Important to Note:

STA is not for holidays, STA does not cover family members to attend, STA is generally for up to 14 days at a time and a maximum of 28 days per year, STA is generally for a group price unless there is evidence you require individual support because of your disability.

How can you access STA?

Registered respite or short-term accommodation provider – they should provide a Service Agreement. Registered or unregistered Disability Support provider – we recommend agreeing on supports with a Service agreement. Self-designed STA where you fund all costs and apply for reimbursement from your Plan Manager after the period of the STA. Please note: some costs may not be able to be reimbursed if they don’t meet the guidelines provided within the NDIS pricing arrangements. Refer to NDIS pricing arrangements here.

NOTE: You may not have funding for STA in your plan. If you choose to utilize your Core funding flexibly and access STA, you need to ensure you have sufficient funding for the period of your plan. Please be aware that the NDIS will not add extra funding if funds are exhausted when the funds have not been spent in accordance with the plan.

It is important to talk to your Support Coordinator, (LAC), Early childhood partner, or NDIA planner to help you understand if accessing STA is right for you and included in your NDIS plan. If you have any questions, please reach out to us by phone at 1800 968 775 or email at yourteam@ypm.com.au. We’re always happy to help!

For further information refer to the NDIS Short Term Accommodation or Respite Guideline