Updates to the CHSP Program Manual

Published 25th June 2020

The CHSP Program Manual has been updated for the extension of the Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP) from 1 July 2020 to 
30 June 2022.

Providers will need to be aware of a number of changes in the following areas:

• Access to emergency CHSP services: older Australians who require access to urgent and immediate services can contact My Aged Care and arrange to access CHSP services for up to six weeks without an assessment. If services are required for longer than six weeks, CHSP providers must help the client to arrange for an assessment.

• Responsibilities during national or state emergencies: the department may enact temporary changes to program guidelines, service type descriptions, reporting deadlines and flexibility provisions in response to national or state emergencies.

• Flexibility provisions: from 1 July 2021, CHSP providers will be able to re-allocate up to 50 per cent of their grant funding between each of their funded service types within an aged care planning region (ACPR). CHSP providers will still have 100 per cent flexibility across their funded services types and ACPRs in 2020-21 due to the COVID‑19 pandemic.

• Program assurance: the department will be developing a program assurance framework for the CHSP in 2020-21 to improve data collection, reporting and performance monitoring. 

• Changes to Social Support Group: CHSP providers of Social Support Group may now use their funds to purchase laptops, tablets and internet subscriptions for clients to help facilitate social connection and online social group activities.

• Interactions with Home Care Packages: clients with pre-existing CHSP Social Support Group services will be able to continue to access these services on an ongoing basis, even after transitioning to a Home Care Package. 

• Sign language and interpreting services: free face-to-face and remote video sign language interpreting services are now available to older Australians who are deaf, deafblind, or hard of hearing to support them as they interact with My Aged Care, assessment services and CHSP service providers.

• Transition out arrangements: CHSP providers must give the department a minimum of three months’ written notice of their intention to relinquish funding or withdraw from the program.

• Wellness and reablement guidance: the manual includes revised guidance on wellness and reablement, drawing on lessons learned from the Promoting Independent Living reablement trials.

A copy of the CHSP Program Manual 2020-2022 will be made available on the department’s website on 1 July 2020.

Source:
Unknown Author, 2020, Department of Health