Your questions answered

• What is the Aged Care Reform and how will the changes benefit me?

• The Aged Care Reform involves the replacement of the current Commonwealth Home Support Program (CHSP), Home Care Package Program, Short Term Restorative Care Programme and other specialist programs with one single program called Support at Home. Along with the new streamlined program will be a new Aged Care Act, a single assessment process and strengthened Quality and Safety Standards.

  Aged care reforms aim to improve the quality of care for older people in Australia. It will be easier for older people to access Government-funded aged care services and support. There will be more choice and independence, including more information required to make informed decisions about the care received.

  More information on the Aged Care Reform can be found at: About aged care reforms and reviews | Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care

• Are any other programs likely to be impacted?

• Council also deliver community care services under, Home and Community Care Program for Younger People (HACC-PYP); services include assessment, personal care, domestic assistance, meals and home modification and maintenance. Staff that deliver services under this program also deliver services under the Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP). The HACC-PYP program currently supports 160 clients.

  This is a State Government run program that supports Victorians from birth to 65 years, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people from birth to 50 years if they require support for independent living. This may be due to chronic illness, mental health issues, disability or other conditions where they need one-off, intermittent or ongoing support to undertake the activities of daily living.

  Our community care workforce works across both of these programs and so Frankston City Council is taking the opportunity to also review this program and engage with community.

• What services does Frankston City Council provide and how many clients are there?

• Frankston City Council operates two community care programs:

  Commonwealth Home Support Program (CHSP) for eligible clients over 65 years of age:

  • Meals on Wheels
  • Social Support Groups
  • Home Maintenance and Modifications
  • Domestic Assistance
  • Personal Care
  • Respite Care

  Under CHSP there are approximately 1850 clients.

  Home and Community Care Program for Younger People (HACC-PYP) for eligible clients under 65 years of age:

  • Meals on Wheels
  • Home Maintenance and Modifications
  • Domestic Assistance
  • Personal Care
  • Respite Care
  • Assessment

  Under HACC-PYP there are approximately 160 clients.

  If you would like to know more about these services or how to apply please contact:
  
  Active ageing and disability services - Frankston City Council
  Phone: (03) 9784 1933

  Access Australian aged care information and services | My Aged Care – to apply for CHSP services
• Will Frankston City Council continue to deliver community care services?

• Frankston City Council is undertaking extensive community engagement to understand the future needs of the community and how it can best support community in light of the upcoming reforms. If there are any changes to service provision, these will be communicated to clients, staff and community once Council has made a decision.

• When will Council make a decision?

• The formation of the new Council occurred in November 2024. Council will need to take time to understand the Reform and various impacts to clients and community and their future as an aged care provider. It is anticipated that a decision will be made in 2025. Throughout the engagement and decision making process, services will continue to be delivered.

• Why is Council carrying out engagement and how can I contribute?

• The Aged Care Reform will bring significant change to clients receiving services and all providers of aged care. The principles of Local Government Act 2020 requires local governments to engage with community and with the new Support at Home program not far away, it’s important that community have a say. We want to ensure that community are aware of the upcoming reforms, what is important about ageing well and how Council can provide support.

• What will happen after the engagement finishes and how do I stay informed?

• After the engagement has finished, Council will consider all engagement feedback and a full report will be available for public information in due course.

  Follow this page to be notified when the results on community engagement are published.

Learn about the aged care reform

• What is the aged care reform?

• The outcome of a Royal Commission into the Quality and Safety of aged care services in Australia has resulted in the Government developing a streamlined program that will provide clients with additional access to services, higher quality care and a streamlined assessment service.

  This new streamlined Program is called Support at Home and this will replace the existing Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP), Home Care Package (HCP) program and Short Term Restorative Care (STRC) program.

  The new regulatory framework for Support at Home is proposed to open the aged care market for new provider registration with new service categories that are risk proportionate to the service being delivered and their costs. For example, it is anticipated that under category 1 where domestic assistance is allocated, a sole trader with an ABN can apply for registration. Currently, only a corporation is eligible for registration.

• Will there be a cost to clients for services under Support at Home?

• Yes. The cost for services will be means tested and the fee range, will be set by the Commonwealth Government for all providers.

• What will the benefits be for the older members of our community?

• The new Support at Home Program will place the rights of older people at the centre of the aged care system. This will make it simpler, fairer and safer for older people and will provide greater access to services when they are needed.

• What services do Frankston City Council provide?

• Frankston City Council currently provide a range of community care services; eligible residents over 65 years of age can access services under the Commonwealth Home Support Program and eligible residents under 65 years of age can access the Home and Community Care Program for Younger People. Services available across these programs include:

  • Meals on Wheels
  • Planned Activity Outings – social support
  • Home Maintenance and Modifications
  • Domestic Assistance
  • Personal Care
  • Respite Care
  • Assessment – Home and Community Care Program for Younger People – only