The Department of Health, Disability and Ageing (DOHDA) has released Version 4 of the Support at Home Program Manual – but with less than seven weeks to go before the 1 November start date, critical details are still to come.
A DOHDA spokesperson told The Weekly SOURCE that Version 4 is the “final major version” of the 250-page manual before commencement.
The latest update includes:
- Revised classification amounts,
- New information on reimbursements for services and evidence required for claiming,
- Guidance on interim funding and unspent Home Care Package funds, and
- Clarification on how Support at Home will work alongside the Commonwealth Home Support Program.
Minor release still to come
Despite this, key sections remain blank. The final version, due in a “minor release” closer to 1 November, will include:
- Links to the End-of-Life Pathway Form,
- The Provider Requirements Tool, and
- The program assurance webpage.
Sector frustration
Providers have long raised concerns about the timing of releases. When Version 3 was published on 17 June, soon after the Government delayed the Aged Care Act rollout, DOHDA said the final manual would follow in September.
At the time, Ageing Australia CEO Tom Symondson warned: “Two months is simply not enough,” calling for the document to be made public by 1 August to give providers adequate preparation time.
With the 1 November deadline looming, providers now face a tight timeline to read and operationalise Version 4 – while still waiting on the final missing pieces.
