Date published:
20 March 2020
Intended audience:
Health sector
Flexibility provisions
The flexibility provisions for 2019-20 and 2020-21 are being relaxed, allowing existing CHSP providers to transfer up to 100 per cent of their allocated funding between service types. Providers may only use flexibility provisions to transfer funding between already funded services. This does not extend to transferring funds between aged care planning regions (ACPRs). Requests to transfer funds between regions in exceptional circumstances must be approved by the department.
Where there is a significant impact on the ability of CHSP providers to continue delivering services, providers may submit an unsolicited proposal for additional grant funding. This funding opportunity is not growth funding or intended to enable CHSP providers to deliver new service types or in new ACPRs.
Urgent or immediate CHSP services
Urgent or immediate CHSP services can be put in place for up to six weeks, for clients affected by COVID-19 or in self-isolation, without requiring an assessment. Where services extend beyond six weeks, providers must help clients arrange for a formal care plan review (for existing clients) or assessment by a Regional Assessment Service or Aged Care Assessment Team (for new clients) by the fourth week of care. All clients must be registered with My Aged Care, regardless of their care duration.
Penalties and risk mitigation
The department recognises that individual CHSP service providers must implement risk mitigation strategies to limit the spread of COVID-19 to staff, volunteers and clients. Penalties will not be applied unreasonably and discretion will be used if service delivery targets are not met due to COVID-19. All CHSP service providers are required to monitor their clients and support their needs safely, communicating changes to service delivery promptly.
Updating service information in My Aged Care
All CHSP providers must urgently update their information in the My Aged Care provider portal to accurately reflect service availability on the ‘Find a Provider’ tool. Do this regularly, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, when urgent services may be needed.
Resources to assist you to update service information in the My Aged Care provider portal are available on the department’s website.
2019-20 growth funding round and CHSP extension
Progress on the 2019-20 CHSP growth funding round and CHSP extension process is not currently affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
