What is an Attendant Care Program package?
The Attendant Care Program (ACP) is a National Disability Agreement (NDA) funded program.
An Attendant Care Program package provides portable, flexible and individualised support for people with a physical disability or who need personal help to complete activities of daily living.
Who is eligible?
Individuals may be eligible for an Attendant Care Program package if they:
- are between 16 and 65 years old.
- live in their own/family home or in their own leased/shared accommodation. People living and intending to continue living in supported accommodation such as group homes or residential care facilities are not eligible.
- are able to manage living in the community by accessing community supports.
- need more than 15 hours per week of personal assistance to complete activities of daily living.
- are ineligible or not suitable for other DADHC provided or funded accommodation services in the short to medium term.
The Attendant Care Program is a suitable option for people with:
- a physical disability whose needs can be substantially met with personal care support and who can be involved in managing their care; or
- an Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) and a physical disability (or who need physical assistance to complete tasks of daily living); or
- a neurological degenerative condition including a rapidly degenerative condition; or
- ventilation dependency (over 24 hours) in which case the package may be jointly funded and managed with NSW Health.
How to apply
Applicants need to complete the Application Form. Applications are accepted directly by the Attendant Care and Physical Disability Unit.
An application register is maintained when there are more eligible applicants than places.
ACP policies and procedures
Guidelines and Procedures have been developed to inform service providers and people in the program about their rights and responsibilities and how the program operates.
Funding models
The Attendant Care Program package can operate under three different funding models:
Employer Model
Funds are paid to an approved service provider who employs the attendant carers and is accountable to DADHC for expenditure and service quality. Clients can be involved in the selection, rostering and management of attendant carers to different degrees.
Cooperative Model
Funds are paid to an approved service provider who manages the funds, provides administrative support and is accountable to DADHC for expenditure and service quality. Clients are the employers of attendant carers and are responsible for managing them.
Direct Funding Model
Funds are paid directly to the client who is responsible for purchasing approved services and managing their care. Clients take on the full employer/service provider responsibility and are accountable to DADHC for expenditure and service quality under a Funding Agreement. Refer to ACP Direct Funding Model Guidelines (March 2007) for more information.
Service review
The Attendant Care Program Service Review Policy outlines the process to regularly review ACP services to ensure that they are responsive to the needs of the person with a disability and delivered in line with the ACP Guidelines. The policy also explains when a service may be discontinued.
Further information
For more information about the Attendant Care Program, contact the Attendant Care and Physical Disability Unit on 9374 3612 or by email at acphnp@dadhc.nsw.gov.au.