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| Commonwealth Home Support Programme | |
|---|---|
| Name | Commonwealth Home Support Programme |
| Country | Australia |
| Launched | 2015 |
| Previous | Home and Community Care Program |
| Administered by | Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care |
Commonwealth Home Support Programme The Commonwealth Home Support Programme provides entry-level aged care assistance for older Australians, delivering services that support independence, social participation, and housing tenure through a national network of providers, assessors, and regional coordinators. Introduced as part of reforms by the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care and legislated alongside the Aged Care Act 1997 reforms, the programme operates within a framework involving state and territory partners such as New South Wales, Victoria, and Queensland local service organisations. It interfaces with national reforms including the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety, the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission, and pathways to higher-level supports like Home Care Packages Program.
The programme replaced the Home and Community Care (HACC) Program and was established under the policy settings of the Australian Government after consultations with peak bodies such as Council on the Ageing (COTA) and Aged & Community Services Australia. It aimed to consolidate services delivered by non-government organisations including Anglicare Australia, The Salvation Army, and UnitingCare, while aligning assessment processes with regional assessment teams and the national My Aged Care gateway. The design reflects recommendations from inquiries including the Productivity Commission reports and interacts with funding mechanisms used by agencies like Department of Health and Aged Care and state health departments in Western Australia and South Australia.
Eligibility is generally for people aged 65 and over and for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 50 and over, consistent with criteria discussed in policy documents from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare and advocates like Older Persons Advocacy Network (OPAN). Prospective clients access the programme via the My Aged Care portal or contact centres where regional assessment teams—often linked to organisations such as ACAT equivalents and local health districts like Sydney Local Health District—conduct an assessment. Assessments consider clinical factors recorded in systems used by providers including My Health Record and integrate with referral pathways to services run by charities such as BaptistCare and industry providers like Australian Unity.
The programme funds a suite of entry-level services: domestic assistance, personal care, social support, meal services, transport, home maintenance, and modifications delivered by providers such as UnitingCare, Anglicare, and private agencies accredited by the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission. Allied health services, including physiotherapy and occupational therapy, are coordinated with community clinics and hospital outpatient services such as those at Royal Melbourne Hospital and Princess Alexandra Hospital. Social inclusion initiatives link clients to community partners like Neighbourhood Houses and councils including Brisbane City Council for activities that reduce isolation and connect to cultural services overseen by organisations like National Ethnic Disability Alliance.
Funding flows from federal appropriations administered through the Department of Health and Aged Care with contracts and block grants to non-government providers including Anglicare Australia, The Salvation Army, and regional health networks. Administration involves local coordination by state and territory health departments such as Department of Health (Western Australia) and regional purchasing arrangements comparable to models used in New Zealand and influenced by international policy reports from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Fee-setting and cost-recovery practices are monitored against standards set by the Aged Care Pricing Commissioner and financial oversight bodies like the Australian National Audit Office.
Clients can transition from the programme to higher-intensity supports via referrals to the Home Care Packages Program, which is managed through national prioritisation processes and commissioning models influenced by the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety. Mobility between entry-level assistance and packaged care involves reassessment by regional assessment teams and coordination with providers such as BaptistCare and Australian Unity, and integrates waiting list management practices similar to those used in public housing transfers in jurisdictions like Victoria.
Quality assurance is overseen by the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission, which regulates standards and investigates complaints lodged through advocacy groups like OPAN and Legal Aid NSW. Safeguards include provider accreditation, incident reporting aligned with privacy frameworks such as Privacy Act 1988, and workforce requirements that reflect industrial instruments like awards administered by the Fair Work Commission. Consumer rights and safeguards echo recommendations from inquiries including the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety and policy guidance from the Australian Human Rights Commission.
Evaluation and monitoring use data from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare and periodic audits by the Australian National Audit Office; published metrics report client numbers, service hours, and expenditure trends alongside demographic projections from the Australian Bureau of Statistics. Research studies by universities such as University of Sydney, Monash University, and The University of Queensland have analysed outcomes including reduced hospital admissions and improved social participation, informing policy debates in forums including parliamentary inquiries and submissions to the Productivity Commission.
Category:Aged care in Australia