If you are disabled and on a very low income, then you may be eligible for disability support living vouchers (DSLV). This is a financial support program that assists people with disabilities or medical conditions to live independently. DSLV vouchers are given to people who have a disability but are not in an institution.
If you are eligible for DSLV, the amount of the voucher will vary depending on your needs. The amount can be used towards paying for accommodation and other living expenses such as food, transport, clothes, and entertainment. If you have a working partner, they may also be able to claim part of the cost of their own accommodation from this funding if it is related to supporting your disability.
- Choice Of Where You Live – You can choose where and what type of accommodation you want to live in. You can also move whenever you want without having to ask permission from the Department of Human Services (DHS).
- Ability To Stay In One Place – If you choose an apartment or house with a long-term lease, this gives stability for yourself and your family and reduces the stress of moving from place to place every few months. It also helps minimise disruption for your children at school if they have established friendships at their current location.
- Enhanced Quality Of Life – Disability Support Living Vouchers empower individuals with disabilities to exercise choice in their living arrangements as well as their daily activities such as eating, bathing, dressing and grooming. The voucher program promotes a higher quality of life for participants by allowing them to remain in their own homes or apartments rather than moving into more restrictive settings such as nursing homes or group homes. This allows them to continue participating in their communities by attending school, working at a job that interests them and interacting with family members, friends and neighbours on a daily basis.
- Universal Design – The Living Voucher can be used for any disability-related service or support. That means that it is not restricted to one provider, so people can choose the service or support that best meets their needs.
- Choice – People can use their Living Voucher to purchase any disability-related service or support that they need. This may include financial planning, assistance with employment and training, help with accessing education and training, respite care and other supports.
- Flexibility – The Living Voucher allows people to purchase what they need when they need it – whether it’s one-time or ongoing support.
- Cost Efficiency – The Living Voucher is designed so that people only pay for what they use and not for services they do not require at any given time. This means that people are only paying for what they need rather than paying for items such as administration costs, which are included in some funding models but not others (for example, the National Disability Insurance Scheme).
- Mobility Assistance – The DSVL provides mobility assistance by paying for transportation to medical appointments and other services.
- Personal Support Services – The DSVL provides personal support services such as housekeeping and meal preparation to help people with disabilities maintain their independence.
- Adaptive Equipment – The disability support voucher helps pay for adaptive equipment like wheelchairs, walkers and shower benches so people with disabilities can maintain their independence and quality of life.
- Housing Options – The disability support living vouchers open up a range of housing options for people with disabilities, from affordable apartments to shared housing arrangements with other individuals who have similar needs or preferences.
- Stay independent – People who use DSLV services can live independently and make decisions about how they want to spend their time and money without depending on others for assistance with daily living tasks such as cooking, cleaning and shopping.
- Stable Source Of Income – This program gives families access to a consistent monthly income stream at no risk to them or their assets – unlike many other financial products that can result in lost savings if you lose your job or become disabled yourself.
Conclusion:
For individuals who understand the importance of living with dignity and maintaining an independent lifestyle, disability support living vouchers are quite helpful. Whether you are applying for Medicaid or any other government assistance program, it is important to know what you can expect from them and how best to improve your lifestyle.