The NDIS Has Updated Its Definition of a Home Mods Assessor — Here’s What OTs Need to Know

Written By Angela Contreras

The NDIS quietly made a significant change in May this year, and it’s one that will reshape how occupational therapists enter, train for, and practise in the home modifications space. If you’ve been working in home mods for a while, you’ll immediately recognise the impact. If you’re newer to the field, this update may actually make your learning journey smoother.

Let’s break down what’s changed, what it means, and why it matters for our profession.

The Big Shift: One Definition, No “Complex” Category

Previously, the NDIS distinguished between Home Mods Assessors and Complex Home Mods Assessors, with specific training requirements for OTs who wanted to work in the complex space. That distinction has now been removed.

As of May 2026, the NDIS website defines a Home Mods Assessor as an occupational therapist who:

  • holds professional OT qualifications,

  • is registered with AHPRA, and

  • has completed post‑graduate education and/or training specifically on the assessment, specification and implementation of home modifications.

That’s it. No mandated CPPACC4020. No mandated CPPACC5016. No specific CPD/ training/ course completion requirement.

This is a major shift in how the NDIS views competency in home modifications.

What This Means for Occupational Therapists

1. OTs now have more flexibility in how they build their home mods capability

The previous requirement pushed OTs toward two access‑consultant modules:

  • CPPACC4020 – Provide access advice on building renovations

  • CPPACC5016 – Provide expert access advice on renovations to private dwellings

These modules are valuable for understanding building code and access standards, but they were never designed specifically for occupational therapists. They assume a level of construction knowledge that many early‑career OTs simply don’t have yet.

With the requirement removed, OTs can now choose CPD that aligns with their actual stage of learning, not a predetermined pathway.

2. Training can now be scaffolded intentionally

This is a huge win for clinical development.

Instead of jumping straight into advanced access‑consultant content, OTs can:

  • start with foundational home mods reasoning,

  • build confidence in functional assessment,

  • strengthen P‑E‑O analysis,

  • understand environmental fit and safety,

  • and then progress to more technical or code‑related content when appropriate.

This is how home mods capability should grow — gradually, intentionally, and grounded in OT practice.

3. OTs can avoid the “building code trap”

I’ve supervised many OTs who completed CPPACC4020/5016 and came out more confused than confident. They often:

  • focused heavily on AS 1428.1,

  • tried to apply commercial access standards to private homes,

  • worried more about circulation spaces than functional need,

  • and felt unsure how to work through an NDIS CHM referral because they were thinking like access consultants, not occupational therapists.

The NDIS update allows OTs to return to what we do best: functional assessment, client‑centred reasoning, environmental fit, and safety.

Building code knowledge is important — but it should complement OT reasoning, not replace it.

Why This Change Matters for the Sector

This update removes unnecessary barriers and opens the door for more OT‑specific training options. It also acknowledges something our profession has known for decades:

Home modifications is an OT specialty, not a building‑code specialty.

Our value lies in understanding the person, the environment, and the occupation — and designing modifications that improve safety, independence, and participation. That’s not something you learn from a building code alone.

The NDIS shift allows OTs to build their skills in a way that is:

  • more clinically grounded,

  • more developmentally appropriate,

  • more aligned with OT practice,

  • and ultimately more supportive of high‑quality home mods outcomes for participants.

The Takeaway for OTs

The NDIS has broadened its definition of a Home Mods Assessor. OTs are no longer required to complete CPPACC4020 or CPPACC5016, and there is no longer a separate category for “complex” assessors. This gives OTs greater autonomy to choose CPD that aligns with their skill level, supports intentional learning, and strengthens core OT reasoning rather than defaulting to building‑code‑driven approaches.

This is an opportunity for our profession to reclaim the heart of home modifications — functional need, environmental fit, and client‑centred desigded and supported by their loved ones.

For OT’s working in home modifications, one of our roles is to provide solutions that enable our client’s safe participation in their desired occupations within their home environment.

A quick note: I’m not being critical of the CPPACC4020/5016 modules. I completed them myself and found them helpful — but that was after more than 10 years of major home mods practice, which meant I could integrate the content meaningfully. I also had the privilege of learning from Hamish Murray, whose combined expertise as a builder, access consultant and powered wheelchair user made the course incredibly valuable.

The point of this blog isn’t to discourage OTs from enrolling. It’s simply to highlight that the NDIS has broadened its definition, and OTs now have more flexibility to choose CPD that aligns with their stage of practice.

Angie Contreras

Complex Home Modifications Assessor | iCare approved Building Modifications OT

BAppSc(OT), GradCertEdStud(HigherEd), Fellow (HEA)


Angela Contreras
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