Boost to home care

The Home and Community Care (HACC) program - a joint Victorian Government and Commonwealth program - will this year provide an extra 100,000 hours of home care and property maintenance, an extra 50,000 hours of health care and support and an extra 200,000 hours of social support.

HACC helps older and disabled Victorians to maintain their independence and continue living at home.

The Victorian and Commonwealth Governments provide more than $228 million a year for Victorian HACC services.

The budget for the program in Victoria increased by more than 5% in 1998-99; and further funding was provided in one-off special projects.

Funding for HACC services has increased by 43.5% since the change of government in1992, when $156 million was provided. Further significant growth funding is expected to be approved within the next couple of weeks.

HACC programs are provided in Victoria by more than 500 service groups and agencies, including 78 local government authorities.

(News Release, Office of the Minister for Health and Aged Care, February 8,1999)