Aneurysm, stroke and seizures... still not enough for Roma Graham to recieve NDIS funding

Roma Graham is permanently disabled and is now facing homelessness because NDIS has ruled she “did not meet the requirements”.

A public housing resident who suffered a brain aneurysm and stroke, leaving her permanently disabled, has been refused NDIS support because she did not meet the disability requirements set out under the scheme.

Roma Graham, 55, who struggles with all five disability requirements needed in order to access NDIS support, had her application for support denied in September.

Ms Graham told the Advertiser that she occasionally suffers from “mini-strokes” and has trouble communicating and caring for herself, since her brain aneurysm in 2020.

“I get headaches, I had a stroke and I suffer (from) seizures every now and then,” Ms Graham said.

In her current condition, she says she struggles with all five disabilities required to receive support from the NDIS, which is her capacity to communicate, socialise, learn, her mobility and self-care.

A letter sent to Ms Graham on 7 September from the NDIS said she did “not meet the disability and early intervention” requirements to receive support and her application was denied.

Roma Graham, 55, says she has been unfairly evicted from her public housing home after complaints from her neighbour which she says were personal attacks on her. Picture Dean Martin.

Following the decision and with the help of an advocate, Ms Graham was able to submit a second application to the NDIS, which is currently undergoing a “90-day review”, she says she was told by an NDIS worker.

However, in that time, Ms Graham will have been evicted from her SA Housing home which she has lived in for five years.

It comes after she received complaints from her next-door neighbour this year of “disruptive and antisocial conduct”, because a group of homeless people had squatted in her backyard against her will.

Ms Graham said she tried to get them to leave, but they kept coming back and took advantage of her disabled state, continuing to squat on the premises.

Eventually, she was able to get them to leave, but still found herself evicted after she was taken to the South Australian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (SACAT) on 16 November by three complaints, one who is a SA Housing tenancy practitioner, the other two who are her neighbours.

The National Disability Insurance Scheme NDIS logo is seen at the head office in Canberra, Wednesday, June 22, 2022. Picture: AAP Image/Mick Tsikas.

Ms Graham was evicted from her Thebarton public housing home and is required to vacate the premises on January 15, with no alternative housing option available.

The NDIS did not give a direct response to questions asked by The Advertiser about Ms Graham’s case, and instead, said that she did not need to have a home address to receive NDIS support.

Meanwhile, a spokesperson from the SA Housing Authority said they had “done everything” they could to support Ms Graham, and that they would not offer her another lease in “one of their properties”.

“We have done everything we can to support this tenant to address the behaviour and tenancy issues at the property, but unfortunately, this has not been successful,” a spokesperson said.

“Given the level of disturbance to neighbours, we had no option but to apply to SACAT for eviction, which was granted.”

Ms Graham has denied all allegations made against her from her neighbours and the SA Housing Authority.

An advocate for Ms Graham says they will now appeal to have the SACAT decision heard before the Supreme Court in the new year.