New HACC funding for SA

An $8.2 million boost to recurrent funding in the Home and Community Care (HACC) program will improve services in South Australia for the frail aged.

Australian Minister for Ageing Justine Elliot and the South Australian Minister for Ageing and Disability Jennifer Rankine have announced the funding allocations ,which will deliver more than $930,000 to projects in regions including the Gawler, Barossa Valley and Yorke Peninsula.

Together with one-off funding and indexation, the joint state and commonwealth arrangement provides more than $13.4 million in additional funds for round 24 as part of a $36m three-year injection that will deliver services to an additional 14,000 South Australians.

The total HACC funding in 2008-2009 to SA will be $149.73 million, of which $92.28 million will be contributed by the Australian government and $57.45 million by the South Australian government.

SA Minister Jennifer Rankine also announced the establishment of an initiative called Access2HomeCare, which will benefit people in Gawler, Barossa, Lower North and Yorke Peninsula.

“The aim of this service is to improve people’s access to community care services by connecting them directly with local service providers,” Ms Rankine said.

Some of the organisations in the region set to benefit from funding this round include:

* Country Health SA Hospital Inc – $376,400 in recurrent funding to meet additional demand in personal care, domestic assistance, home modification and social support services for frail older people living in regions including the Gawler, Barossa, and Yorke Peninsula. An additional $150,000 in recurrent funding has been allocated to establish Access2HomeCare.
* Country Home Advocacy Project Inc – $330,000 in recurrent funding to provide additional domestic assistance, personal care, social support, home maintenance and home modification services for frail older people living in regions including the Barossa and Yorke Peninsula.
* The Barossa Council – $17,600 in recurrent funding to meet additional demand in short-term domestic assistance, social support and home modification services for frail older people living in the local government areas of Barossa and Light.
* Town of Gawler – $41,000 in recurrent funding to meet additional demand in home maintenance and domestic assistance for frail older people living in the Gawler local government area.
* Barossa Village Inc – $18,000 in recurrent funding to meet increased demand for centre based day care, including transport and meals, for frail older people living in the Barossa area.