Commonwealth Home Support and HACC PYP Program
WHAT IS THE COMMONWEALTH HOME SUPPORT PROGRAMME (CHSP)?
The Commonwealth Home Support Programme provides aged care services for older people who need assistance to keep living independently at home and in their community.
If you are generally able to manage but just need some help with daily tasks to continue living at home, CHSP services may be right for you.
These services might also be suitable if you have had a setback and need support for just a short period of time to help you get back on your feet.
The Commonwealth Home Support Programme funds a large variety of organisations (called service providers) across Australia to deliver the care and services to you, the Aboriginal Advancement League is one of them.
The aim of the program is to help older people live as independently as possible — with a focus on working with you, rather than doing for you. It is about building on your strengths and abilities to help you remain living independently and safely at home.
The program is for people aged 65 years and over but for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people it is 50 years and over.
The program also includes support services for prematurely aged people on a low income who are 50 years or over or 45 years or over for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and are homeless or at risk of homelessness.
CHSP Services
There are different services to help you manage your day-to-day activities (Caretaker Document). Depending on your needs, you may receive:
- Domestic transport to appointments and activities
- Domestic help (e.g. house cleaning, washing clothes)
- Personal care (e.g. help with showering or dressing)
- Home maintenance (e.g. changing light bulbs, gardening)
- Allied health (e.g. podiatry, physiotherapy, occupational therapy)
- Social support (e.g. accompanied activities, group excursions)
What is HACC PYP?
The HACC Program for Younger People provides services for people with disabilities and their carers. Younger Aboriginal people are defined as those aged 50 years or younger. Some of these clients will transfer to the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) as it rolls out in Victoria over 2016 – 2019.
The HACC Program for Younger People provides basic support and maintenance services to help people with disabilities remain living at home as independently as possible. The HACC PYP is funded and managed by the Victorian Department of Health and Human Services.
Access Mainstream Services and Supports
These are the services available for all Australians from people like doctors or teachers through the health and education systems. It also covers areas like public housing and the justice and aged care systems.
Access Community Services and Supports
These are activities and services available to everyone in a community, such as sports clubs, community groups, libraries or charities.
Maintain Informal Support Arrangements
This is help people get from their family and friends. It is support people don’t pay for and is generally part of most people’s lives.
Receive Reasonable and Necessary Funded Supports
The NDIS can pay for supports that are reasonable and necessary. This means they are related to a person’s disability and are required for them to live an ordinary life and achieve their goals.
Assistance from the NDIS is not means tested and has no impact on income support such as the Disability Support Pension and Carers Allowance.
How do I Access Services?
- Call My Aged Care
You can phone the My Aged Care contact centre on 1800 200 422 between 8am and 8pm Monday to Friday and 10am to 2pm on Saturdays (your local time, no matter where in Australia you live). If you need help, contact the AAL and the CHSP staff can help you. - Have a home support assessment
My Aged Care staff will ask you questions about your current needs and circumstances so they can refer you to appropriate aged care assessment services. - Agree on a home support plan
The Assessment Service will work with you to decide on a home support plan. - Select service providers and work out your fees
There is a list of organisations that will provide a service for you and work out your fees. - Manage your services
You can manage the services you receive.
Assessment Process
Have a Home Support Assessment
If the My Aged Care contact centre refers you for a home support assessment, a Regional Assessment Service (RAS) assessor will contact you to arrange a face-to-face assessment in your home. This assessment is free.
During your home support assessment, the RAS assessor will ask you about your day-to-day activities, your needs and your preferences – what you can do well, what you need some help doing, and what you want to be able to do.
You may wish to have a family member, friend or carer at the assessment to support you, or to speak on your behalf.
If your assessment shows you are eligible for services under the Commonwealth Home Support Programme, you can work with the RAS assessor to decide which service provider(s) you want to receive services from.
If you have concerns about your home support assessment, try to speak to your RAS assessor in the first instance — it might be possible to get a resolution that way. The RAS organisations have complaint procedures in place and will work with you to address your concerns. If you and the RAS assessor cannot resolve the issue or you feel uncomfortable approaching them directly, you can call My Aged Care.
The assessment will usually be conducted at your home, and there may be more than one visit. For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, assessments are culturally appropriate and sensitive.
The assessment officer will contact you with the outcome, whether you are eligible for CHSP/HACC PYP services, by a letter within 7-14 days from date of the assessment.
Fees
Service providers will work out the fees for services you need. Any fees will come out of your package.
To find out which service providers offer what you need in your area, ask your RAS assessor or call My Aged Care. You can also check the My Aged Care website — click on the ‘Find a service’ button.
Your RAS assessor can arrange to have a ‘referral for service’ sent to the relevant provider(s) in your local area. A referral for service notifies providers there is a new client wanting a service, and prompts them to contact you to make arrangements.
If you first want to visit or call a service provider to decide if their services are right for you, ask your RAS assessor to give you a ‘referral code’. You can pass this to the service provider when you speak with them. This allows them to view your client record, accept the referral and start organising services for you, if you choose to accept their services.
If there are no services available, you may be placed on a waitlist. Once services become available, people on the waitlist with the highest level of need will be offered services first.
Advocate
You may ask for an advocate to assist you to access the CHSP/HACC PYP service. Your advocate may be a family member or anyone you want.
Main Office
2 Watt Street Thornbury
Phone: 03 9480 7777
Fax: 03 9416 9092