Local Carers to Choose Their Respite Services
Minister for Mental Health and Ageing Mark Butler handed over the first contract under the Consumer Directed Respite Care initiative in Melbourne on 22 October, allowing carers to select respite services of their choice.
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Joint Media Release
The Hon Mark Butler MP
Minister for Mental Health and Ageing
The Hon Alan Griffin MP
Member for Bruce
22 October 2010Minister for Mental Health and Ageing Mark Butler handed over the first contract under the Consumer Directed Respite Care initiative in Melbourne today, allowing carers to select respite services of their choice.
The program is the first of its type in Australia, which will see local carers individually receive a budget of $4,200 to go towards their chosen respite services.
“This is the first of 16 agreements we will have with Commonwealth Respite and Carelink Centres across Australia, with $1.24 million in funding to provide 200 consumer directed care packages to carers of older Australians,” Mr Butler said.
He delivered the contract to the Eastern Metropolitan Commonwealth Respite and Carelink Centre while visiting the centre with Member for Bruce, Alan Griffin.
Under the Consumer Directed Care initiative, more than $13 million will go to an additional 500 consumer-directed places which will broadly align with existing Community Aged Care Packages, and Extended Aged Care at Home and Extended Aged Care at Home Dementia packages.
“This initiative will fund selected community aged care providers to deliver innovative service models that will provide care recipients and their carers with greater control over the design and delivery of the care and services they receive,” Mr Butler said.
“Consumer directed care has been shown to improve the quality of life and independence of care recipients.”
Implementing the program during National Carers Week, Mr Butler said the Gillard Government is committed to better recognising and supporting the nation’s carers.
Mr Griffin said: “We are leading the development of Australia’s first-ever National Carer Recognition Framework which will include National Carer Recognition Legislation and a National Carer Strategy that will lead to improved support and services for Australia's family carers.
“Our carers, almost 2.9 million at last count, perform a valuable service, not just for those they care for, but also for the broader community. This Government recognises and appreciates the valuable contribution carers make in our society.”
Media contact:
Samantha Regione 0418 112 688
Matt Broderick 0410 148 056
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