PDF printable version of AN EXTRA $5.1 Million for Home and Community Care Services in NSW (PDF 37 KB)
4 July 2008
Joint Release
The Hon Justine Elliot MP
Minister for Ageing
The Hon Kristina Kineally
New South Wales Minister for Disability Services
The Australian Government Minister for Ageing, Mrs Justine Elliot and the NSW Government Minister for Ageing and Disability Services, Ms Kristina Keneally, today jointly announced the allocation of an extra
$5.1 million in funding for Home and Community Care (HACC) services in the State.
This increases total funding close to $510 million provided by the Australian Government and NSW to support services to help people remain independent and in their homes.
Older people, younger people with a disability, and their carers will benefit from the additional $5.1million that will be used for:
- The purchase of vehicles to provide transport for social support;
- One off clean-ups to support clients living in the community;
- Upgrade of kitchen and bathroom equipment;
- Upgrade and purchase of telephones and other office equipment; and
- Provide training to carers.
Mrs Elliot said that the HACC Program is a key element of Australian Government’s plan to care for the older community.
“Home and Community Care is a central element in the Government’s vision for a world-class community-care system that delivers high-quality, affordable and accessible care to older people, younger people with a disability, and their carers,” Mrs Elliot said.
“The money is being used across NSW to help more than 300 existing service providers improve facilities and services which will benefit older people, people with a disability and their carers.
“They range from something simple, such as providing equipment for volunteer first aid training to the purchase of a 25 seater modified bus for an Adult Centre Based Day Care to help transport its clients.
Ms Keneally said that the money also would be used to purchase office equipment such as computers and provide training to staff and carers.
“By approving these projects, the NSW and Australian Governments are aiming to help older people and people with functional disabilities to live as independently as possible in their own homes - which is what most want,” Ms Keneally said.
Mrs Elliot also stated that in this funding package there was more than $115,000 allocated to support one off clean ups for HACC clients.
“These clean ups will assist those clients in need to maintain their independent living.”
Over the next four years the Australian Government will provide a record $40 billion nationally to residential and home and community care; of which $11.4 billion goes to home and community care alone across Australia.
Home and Community Care Facts
In 2007-08 the Home and Community Care program received $1.652 billion nationally, $1.006 billion of this contributed by the Australian Government.
New South Wales alone received a joint contribution of $509.928 million, of which $305.192 million was contributed by the Australian Government and $204.736 million was contributed by the New South Wales Government.
In 2006-07, around 801,000 people across Australia received Home and Community Care services, over 210,000 of these people reside in New South Wales.
Media contact: (Minister Elliot) 02 6277 7280
(Minister Keneally) Philip McCall 0438 619 987
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