What is the Mental Health Respite Program?
The Mental Health Respite Program provides a range of flexible respite options for carers of people with mental illness and carers of people with intellectual disability. The Program forms part of the Commonwealth's component of the Council of Australian Governments' (COAG) National Action Plan on Mental Health 2006 - 2011.
The Australian Government Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs is responsible for the Mental Health Respite Program.
Why is this important?
Carers provide on-going unpaid care and support for people living with a mental illness or disability. There are currently high levels of demand and unmet need for carer respite and support services in Australia for all carer groups.
The Mental Health Respite Program supports carers of people with mental illness and carers of people with intellectual disability by increasing access to respite services.
The Mental Health Respite Program provides support to carers with a range of flexible respite options that are appropriate to the specific needs of the carer and the care recipient.
Who will benefit?
The Mental Health Respite Program has two target groups:
- carers of people with mental illness; and
- carers of people with intellectual disability.
What will the Mental Health Respite Program deliver?
The aim of the Mental Health Respite Program is to provide support to carers by increasing the number of carers who have access to flexible and responsive respite services. The Program endeavours to meet the individual needs of carers and the care recipient and to identify and fund a range of flexible respite options that respond to the particular needs of the different regions across Australia.
The Program is designed to provide flexibility for the carer and their care recipient through a brokerage service delivery model, as well as direct funding to expand existing services and establish new services to increase the supply of respite options.
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How does it work?
There are two components to the Mental Health Respite Program:
- Part A - a brokerage service model provided across Australia in all Home and Community Care regions using the existing network of Commonwealth Respite and Carelink Centres (Centres). The brokerage component of the Program was implemented in April 2007 using a brokerage model enabling carers, the care recipient and their families to have the maximum choice and flexibility tailored to their specific respite needs; and
- Part B - a direct funding model using the National Respite Development Fund to increase the availability (supply) of appropriate respite services through the Mental Health Respite Program where limited service supply needs to be addressed.
What funding is attached to the program?
A total of $224.7 million has been allocated over five years to implement this new program across the country.
When did the Mental Health Respite Program start?
Funding for the design and implementation of the Mental Health Respite Program commenced from 1 July 2006. Most Centres commenced brokerage services in Home and Community Care regions in April 2007.
How is the Mental Health Respite Program progressing?
Commonwealth Respite and Carelink Centres continue to promote the program in the community and to build productive relationships with service providers.
For the period 1 July 2007 to 31 March 2008, Commonwealth Respite and Carelink Centres purchased 249,000 respite hours on behalf of 4,937 carers across Australia.
Two National Respite Development Fund funding rounds were conducted in 2007 and 2008 resulting in $50.5 million being allocated to 68 organisations. This has increased respite service options by 110 services that Centres can now broker to.
Further information
Further information, including a list of successful service providers is available on the FaHCSIA website at www.fahcsia.gov.au/mentalhealth.
Page currency, Latest update: 22 May, 2008