Department of Science, Information Technology and Innovation

Housing with Shared Support Practice Guide - 2015

Slide 1: Housing with Shared Support (HwSS) Practice Guide – 2015

A joint initiative between the Department of Communities, Child Safety and Disability Services and the Department of Housing and Public Works

Slide 2: What is Housing with Shared Support (HwSS)?

•HwSS is a form of social housing for people with disability support needs.

•It enables a group of usually unrelated adults to live together either in the same property or separate properties in close proximity (when available) so they can share support services.

•These individuals usually have complex and high support needs.

•These shared living arrangements are different from other social housing tenancies.

Slide 3: What is HwSS? …continued

HwSS individuals will:

•Be eligible for social housing, and have an approved application for social housing

•Be eligible and assessed for Disability Services

•Receive individual disability funding from Disability Services or be prioritised for an existing funded vacancy

•Agree to enter into a HwSS arrangement with the disability support agency to sustain the level of support

•Consent to reside in a social housing property and to live with or near other individuals for the purpose of sharing support.

Slide 4: HwSS Review

•In 2013 and 2014, executive representatives from Housing Services and Disability Services met and acknowledged that significant improvement was required to address shared challenges with the HwSS model.

•Subsequently, a joint Housing Services and Disability Services Governance Group and Operational Working Group was established.

•This co-design approach included:

•a review of current practices and policies;

•analysis of key issues including under-occupied properties; and

•the development of robust and transferrable processes that can be applied by the community sector which will manage housing and support in the future.

Slide 5: Share Protocol

The Shared Protocol comprises four components to guide and support service delivery:

  1. Interagency Meetings
  2. Annual Stocktake/Joint Household Review
  3. Case Conference
  4. Staff Training and Support

Slide 6: Expected Outcomes

Implementation of the Shared Protocol will result in the following outcomes:

Streamlined and efficient use of resources

  1. Reduction in under occupied properties.
  2. Fewer long term vacancies.
  3. Timely response to client housing need.

Responsive and client-centred service system

  1. Integrated service planning and delivery.
  2. Individual and systemic issues are addressed in a timely manner.

Slide 7: HwSS Stakeholders

Slide 8: Key Stakeholder Roles

•Individual/s and their supports (informal and formal substitute decision makers) agree to live together or in close proximity to others for the purpose of sharing support and consent to trial/s of co- tenants

•Disability Services will identify/assist eligible clients who choose to share their support

•Funded Non-Government Service Providers (FNGSPs) and Accommodation Support and Respite Services (AS&RS) are responsible for providing direct support services to HwSS households

•Housing Services Centres/Community Housing Providers (HSC/CHPs) are responsible for providing housing assistance and tenancy management.

Slide 9: Stages of HwSS

Slide 10: Establishing HwSS Households

Individual/s and their supports / Agree to live together or in close proximity to others in order to share support
Consent to trial/s of co-tenants
Choose a FNGSP
Lodge application for Housing Assistance
Sign a PH071 – Authority to request or disclose personal information to external
parties and a State Tenancy Agreement
Disability Services / Identify suitable individuals
Ensure appropriate funding is available
Liaise with the individual, HSC/CHP, FNGSP
Assist the individual/s by identifying FNGSPs with sufficient capacity to support them
Coordinate stakeholder engagement
FNGSP / Agree to support the individual/s within the HwSS program
Engage with all stakeholders
Support the individual/s to establish the household and maintain their tenancy
SignPH071 – Authority to request or disclose personal information to external parties
HSC/CHP / Confirm DS funding
Determine Housing eligibility and suitability
Assess - OT Housing Needs Assessment report
Complete PH170, PH171 and PH071 and Entry Condition Report
Allocate suitable property and create individual tenancies
Ensure Functional Location – Superior and Subordinate rental units are established and the Shared Tenancy Property Flag is active as required
Supply keys to individual/FNGSP

Slide 11: Supporting HwSS households and tenancy management

•The formal and informal decision makers and the FNGSP assist the individuals to meet and maintain their obligations under the State Tenancy Agreement

•An Inter-agency Approach is adopted to ensure the individual/s’ specific circumstances are considered before coming to decisions regarding whether there is an issue (or breach of the Residential Tenancies and Rooming Act 2008), in particular whether the individual has the capacity to understand or control their behaviour.

•The complexity of individual/s’ behaviours may require collaborative problem solving strategies involving all key stakeholders e.g. Case Conference

Slide 12: Inter-agency Meetings

•The aim of regular Inter-agency Meetings is to promote planned responses to service delivery, strengthen partnerships and coordination of services to meet the housing and support needs of shared clients.

•Inter-agency Meetings should operate with an emphasis on the sharing of information between agencies, shared decision-making and the development of recommendations for HwSS arrangements.

•FNGSPs may also be invited to be involved in Inter-agency Meetings to discuss specific households and other relevant and emerging issues

•Further information and templates for Inter-agency Meetings (Agenda, Minutes, Terms of Reference) are available in the Shared Protocol document

Slide 13: Case Conferencing

When HwSS issues cannot be resolved or need to be investigated further, a case conference to discuss the issue may need to be organised.

Attendees may include:

•The manager of the FNGSP

•Relevant staff from the HSC/CHP – OT, SCSM, HSC/CHP Manager

•Local DS staff including Clinical Services if required

•The individual and/or their decision-maker

Items for discussion:

•The issue and how it relates to and impacts on the HSC/CHPs property and/or tenancy management.

•What has been done so far to resolve the issue

•Options and strategies to resolve the issue – it is important to encourage stakeholders to look at support strategies rather than just property modifications.

•Does each tenant have/require a positive behaviour support plan? Does it need to be reviewed?

•Next steps and agreed actions with timeframes and the names of people responsible.

Slide 14: Annual Stocktake Joint Household Review

•Enables HSC/CHP and DS to identify and match all HwSS properties and co-tenancies with the aim to compile a currentlist of households, vacancies, tenant trials and local challenges.

•Agencies are encouraged to undertake an Annual Stocktake of all HwSS properties and also use the form at any time within an Inter-agency Meeting to conduct a Joint Household Review.

•The HSC/CHP as secretariat will commence the process and then forward to DS to populate their data elements before the meeting.

•The initial stocktake is to be completed by 30 June 2015 and the outcomes communicated to HDSP by 15 July 2015.

Slide 15: Assessing home modification requests

To determine what is a reasonable and appropriate modification, the following may need to be considered:

•How cost-efficient is the recommended solution compared with other solutions?

•What is the least restrictive alternative? How cost-effective is it? Could the same outcomes be achieved through a different means?

•What is the likely impact of the proposed modification on the other household members?

•Should a tenant or household member be transferred to a more suitable and/or appropriate property rather than undertaking modifications?

•Has Disability Services or the FNGSP assessed how the proposed modification will enhance effective support strategies rather than replace them?

Slide 16: How home modifications can be requested

•The tenant or their decision-maker

•The tenant’s disability support provider
(either the Disability Services Service Manager or the FNGSP Care Coordinator not the Residential Care/Support Worker)

•The tenant’s medical or allied health practitioner

•HSC/CHP staff may also identify the need for home modifications resulting from a tenancy management visit or property inspection.

•All requests for home modifications are to be referred to an OT and modifications made in line within a OT Housing Needs Assessment and included within a HwSS Action Plan.

Slide 17: Damage to property/alterations/modifications

Damage:

•Generally tenants are only obliged to repair any damage caused by intentional or negligent acts.

•HwSS tenants are not obliged to repair the damage if it is beyond their understanding and control. However, where appropriate a positive behavior support plan should be in place to minimize property damage.

•The landlord is responsible for repairing damage caused by fair wear and tear.

Alterations/Modifications:

•A local agreement in terms of payment should be reached for any property alterations/modifications recommended as part of a positive behavior support plan for individual tenants and where applicable documented within a OT Housing Needs Assessment and HwSS Action Plan.

•If FNGSPs require alterations/modifications for WH&S reasons that don’t relate to the needs of a individual tenant (e.g.. air conditioning, shade sails) then a written application for approval and a signed condition report outlining installation and removal requirements and reimbursement of any damage to DHPW is to be negotiated.

•FNGSPs are not allowed to use the property as an office and are to maintain a home like environment.

Slide 18: Supporting a Hwss Household

Individual/s and their supports / Maintain your tenancy - pay your rent on time, keep your home neat and tidy and do not disturb the peace, comfort or privacy of your neighbours
Report any issues to DS, FNGSP and/or HSC/CHP
Identify any home modifications
Engage in Case Conferences as required
*Rent is calculated on an individual basis and not per household structure.
Disability Services / Engage in Interagency Meetings, Case Conferences and Joint Household Reviews
Ensure FNGSP appropriately manages support and tenancy obligations and not use the property for purposes outside of the conditions contained in the State Tenancy Agreement signed by the tenant
Identify capacity/vacancies as they arise and consider transfers to more appropriate property
Liaise with the individual as required
Provide positive behaviour support strategies/plans as required
FNGSP / Support the individual/s to maintain their tenancy by keeping the property neat and tidy and not disturb the peace, comfort or privacy of neighbours
Attend Interagency Meetings and Case Conferences as required
Apply for any WHS modifications and sign a condition report which outlines installation and removal requirements and reimbursement for any damage.
Report any changes to household, individual needs, property damage, complaints etc.
Ensure a home like environment, be considerate of neighbours at shift changeover, smoking areas and street parking, don’t use the premise to conduct general business or set up an office.
Enact any positive behaviour support strategies/plans
* An extra bedroom may be allocated for sleepovers/storage based on the OT report and HwSS Action Plan
HSC/CHP / Provide tenancy management and transfers in a cost effective and efficient way including applications for home modifications
Ensure all complaints are addressed including property damage, neighbourhood issues, undeclared tenants, incomplete trials etc...
Notify substitute decision maker/s and/or Public Trust, DS and FNGSP of any changes to household/issues/breaches/rent arears etc.
Convene Interagency Meetings, Case Conferences and Joint Household Reviews

Slide 19: Changing HwSS Households Key Principles

•If a vacancy arises within a HwSS household, consultation will occur with all involved parties for suitably considered persons to trial a co-tenancy

•FNGSPs will inform Disability Services and HSC/CHP of vacancies both funded and unfunded as soon as practical and engage in Interagency Meetings and/or Case Conferencing as required.

Slide 20: Changing a HwSS Household

Individual/s and their supports / Consent to trials of co-tenants – PH174
Engage in Case Conferences as required
Return key to HSC/CHP if exiting HwSS and clean bedroom
Complete Form 13 and lodge with HSC
*A trial is a period of four weeks during which no rent is paid by the person undertaking the trial. An extension of up to a maximum of three months can be granted.
DS / Determine vacancies and notify relevant stakeholders via phone call and Interagency Meeting
Identify next suitable prioritised individual
Commence matching process for success with FNGSP
Ensure current application with HSC/CHP
Plan for trial and continue to explore alternative accommodation options
Ensure the individual and their supports consent to a trial
FNGSP / Notify DS and HSC/CHP of vacancies and ensure exiting tenant has completed a Form 13
Progress matching for success
Ensure Housing Application is lodged for co-tenant
Inform existing tenants and their supports of the vacancy and seek their consent to a trial of co-tenants – PH172 and PH174 and PH173 if an extension is required.
Update DS and HSC/CHP on trial progress
Explore all alternative housing options if the trial is unsuccessful
Report any concerns in relation to the state of the property and any damage to communal area
Clean vacant bedroom and assist the individual to return keys to HSC/CHP
HSC/CHP / Complete a Vacancy Management Report
Convene Interagency Meetings, Case Conferences and Joint Household Reviews to explore co-tenancy options
Notify DS and FNGSP of vacancy and consider transfer to a more appropriate property
Enact Form 13 – Notice of Intention to Vacate Residential Tenancies Authority
Remedy any reported property issues e.g. windows not closing, doors not sliding etc. and determine if a sundry debt needs to be applied to the exiting tenant
Monitor all trials of suitable co-tenants and ensure a timely approach to vacancy management
Provide PH172 and PH174 to relevant parties
Ensure entry and exit condition reports are completed as required
* A vacant clean is not required until the whole property is vacant

Slide 21: Ending a HwSS Household

Individual/s and their supports / Complete a Form 13 and lodge with HSC
Consider alternative accommodation options
Disability Services / Inform HSC/CHP that the property is no longer required for HwSS
Liaise with FNGSP to review individual needs
Explore alternative accommodation options with the individual and FNGSP
FNGSP / Inform DS and HSC/CHP that the property is no longer required for HwSS
Liaise with DS to review Individual/s needs
Explore alternative housing options
Notify DS of any contractual arrangements e.g. outlet number or changes to funding arrangements
HSC/CHP / Ensure Form 13 is completed
Enact Interagency Meeting to permanently close HwSS arrangement and ensure appropriate sign off from delegated officers
Terminate the tenancy and complete the Notice of Vacant Dwelling and Exit Condition report
Contact BAS to request a joint visit
Request PM&O Asset and Information Unit inactivate all Subordinate Rental Unit/s and the Shared Tenancy Accommodation Flag is removed and the Superior Rental Unit is changed to Vacant Rental Unit.

Slide 22: Frequently asked questions

What will be discussed at an Interagency Meeting?

Interagency Meetings will provide a forum to discuss household composition, identify vacancies, closures or transfers, discuss possible tenant trials, challenges and barriers etc. The interagency meeting may also be a forum for the discussion of other shared clients who are not HwSS but require an interagency response.

What if household members no longer wish to live together?

Refer to sections in this guide relating to Changing and Supporting HwSS

What if a neighbour makes a complaint?

Complainant to ensure all relevant stakeholders are aware to ensure appropriate follow up with review at Interagency Meeting. Usual Departmental procedures to be followed in responding to complaints.

What if a formal or informal decision maker for a tenant makes a complaint?

Complainant to ensure all relevant stakeholders are aware to ensure appropriate follow up with review at Interagency Meeting. Usual Departmental procedures to be followed in responding to complaints.

Does the individual pay rent during the trial?

No, individuals visiting for the purpose of trialling for compatibility to join a household permanently are given four weeks as a trial period. During the trial period no rent is paid by the trial household member. A trial maybe extended up to a maximum of three months.

What if an existing tenant and/or substitute decision maker won’t agree to a trial?

Refer to Interagency Meeting and/or Case Conference

What if home modifications are required?

All requests for home modifications are to be referred to the HS OT who will assess the request on a case- by- case basis applying the principles of the least restrictive alternative for the tenant/s and cost-efficiency for HS.

If the modification:

•Does not fit the department’s guidelines and is considered the least restrictive option, the HSC/CHP Manager may approve the modification subject to conditions, e.g. the modification is reviewed periodically and removed if not required.

•Is restrictive (e.g. locks on doors, windows, taps), the OT must liaise with the DS Specialist Response Team to determine if it is authorise

An alternative option to undertaking home modifications is to transfer the tenant or household to another more suitable property.

Slide 23: Frequently asked questions

What if I am unable to resolve an issue involving a HwSS property?

Refer to the Interagency Meeting and/or conduct a case conference.

What if alterations for Workplace Health and Safety of FNGSP staff is required?

HSC/CHP cannot approve alterations for WH&S (e.g. air conditioning) made by the FNGSP.

What if a trial is unsuccessful?

DS/FNGSP continue to match for a success process or decide to end a HwSS arrangement

What if storage is required for equipment and are carers entitled to a bedroom?

An extra bedroom per household may be allocated for support workers who sleep overnight and/or equipment storage. This decision will be based on the OT Housing Needs Assessment and the HwSS Action Plan. FNGSPs must not use the property as an office for general business.