$345m for care for Queensland aged and disabled
Older people in Queensland will receive more support with a $35.6 million funding boost for home and community care services
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Joint release
The Hon Justine Elliot MP
Minister for Ageing
The Hon Lindy Nelson-Carr MP
Minister for Communities, Disability Services, Seniors and Youth
3 April 2008JE08/27
Older people in Queensland will receive more domestic assistance, centre-based day care, social support and respite care services, the Minister for Ageing, Justine Elliot, and the Queensland Minister for Communities, Disability Services, Seniors and Youth, Lindy Nelson-Carr, announced today.
The extra services are being made available to older people and people with a disability through a boost of $35.6 million in funding for Home and Community Care services in Queensland.
The first allocation of these additional funds, worth more than $33 million, was also announced today.
Total available funding for the Home and Community Care program in Queensland for 2007 08 will rise to more than $345 million.
Under the agreement between the Australian and Queensland Governments, older people in Queensland will receive domestic assistance, personal care, social support and respite care – so they can remain in their homes longer.
The Home and Community Care Program assisted more than 159,000 people in Queensland last year. This is almost 5 per cent of the state’s total population.
The funding was announced today by Mrs Elliot, and Ms Nelson-Carr – as part of an agreement to work in partnership between the federal and state governments.
“The increase in funding will help more people maintain their independence by continuing to live within their community – as most people wish to do,” Mrs Elliot said.
“Without Home and Community Care services such as respite care, domestic assistance, or social support services for the frail and aged, many people would have to move prematurely into residential care.”
Ms Nelson-Carr said that last financial year more than 159,000 people in Queensland were assisted under the Home and Community Care program.
“This increase in funding means more people will be able to have access to services,” she said.
Services provided by the HACC program allows 755 service providers across Queensland to provide community care services such as centre-based day care and respite, through to home modifications and transport assistance.
“The package also includes capital funds of $820,000 for Blue Care to build a new centre based day care facility in Beenleigh, following significant population growth in the southern Beenleigh area,” Ms Nelson-Carr said.
“Carers will also benefit from more than $1.85 million for respite care, and the establishment of Carers Queensland regional offices in Roma, Ipswich and Brisbane North.
“Other significant allocations include $455,000 for major modifications to homes in the Greater Brisbane area. This is on top of the additional $949,000 allocated to the same area in 2006-07.”
The Home and Community Care program is a jointly-funded Australian Government and state and territory government initiative that provides community care services to frail aged and younger people with disabilities and their carers, helping these people to remain living in their homes.
For more information, contact Mrs Elliot's office on (02) 6277 7280
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