The federal government has announced an additional $112.1 million for the provision of Commonwealth Home Support Program services.
The funding will be made available over two years to 141 providers who apply through the CHSP Targeted Growth Funding Round.
Aged care services minister Richard Colbeck says the funding will help providers deliver additional entry level CHSP services including meals, transport, social support, respite, gardening and cleaning.
“This targeted investment will support communities identified as being most in need, including where there are aged care service gaps and high demand,” Senator Colbeck said.
“Support for aged care providers to deliver additional CHSP services to senior Australians will help address key demand pressures.”
Service providers are required to be as responsive as possible to requests from senior Australians and their carers for short-term or ongoing CHSP services, Senator Colbeck said.
More money for home delivered meals
It comes after the government last month said it would provide $7 million to the CHSP to increase the minimum meals unit price to $7.50 to assist providers in delivering meals to clients.
The mechanism will increase the minimum $4.90 unit price paid to providers by $2.60.
The changes are expected to be implemented over the course of upcoming financial year, the government says.
The CHSP provides entry-level home support to Australians aged 65 years and over (or 50 years and over for Indigenous Australians) living at home and in their own communities.
There are currently 1,400 CHSP providers in Australia, of which 70 per cent are not-for-profit.
The government funds 571 meals providers to deliver 11.5 million meals a year across the country.
Read more about what researchers have discovered about the CHSP program.
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