Home and Community Care Act 1985

Here is a brief overview of the Home and Community Care Act 1985:

The Home and Community Care Act 1985 was an act that aimed to promote the provision of comprehensive and integrated home and community care services for persons with disabilities or frailty. The act established a program with two main objectives: (i) to provide moneys to assist in the development, expansion, and rationalization of existing home and community care services; and (ii) to facilitate the maintenance of persons in their own homes.

The Commonwealth and the State jointly established a Home and Community Care Program which would be administered in accordance with the provisions of the agreement. The program aimed to provide basic maintenance and support services, as well as education and training for service providers and users.

Under the act, the Commonwealth provided financial assistance to the State through interest-free non-repayable grants, while the State was responsible for the management of the program. Local governments and community organizations were also involved in the provision of services under the program.

The act established guidelines for the scope and setting standards for services within the program's scope, as well as arrangements for consultative processes and priorities. The Commonwealth Minister and the State Minister jointly approved and may vary these arrangements from time to time.

The program was aimed at assisting persons living in the community who were at risk of premature or inappropriate long-term residential care, including frail or at-risk aged persons, younger disabled persons, and their carers.