Assistance with Care and Housing for the Aged Service (ACHA)

HAAG’s ACHA Program

The Assistance with Care and Housing for the Aged (ACHA) program is designed to assist frail, low income older people who are renting in insecure housing or who are homeless, to remain living in the community. This is an Australia-wide Commonwealth Government funded program which commenced in the early 1990s. Services offered through ACHA are all overseen by the state and territory’s Department of Health and Ageing office.

The ACHA program sits within second floor Ross House tenants Housing for the Aged Action Group (HAAG) and has two workers. HAAG is a state-wide organisation that accepts calls and queries from all over Victoria. One of the ACHA workers is funded to be the Intake, Referral and Housing Options worker for Victoria. People are linked in with their nearest ACHA support worker if they reside outside the HAAG catchment area. There are ACHA program providers in Melbourne, Mildura, Footscray, Preston, Prahran, Collingwood, St. Kilda, Box Hill, Dandenong, Kew, Shepparton, Footscray, and Ascot Vale.

Services are directed to those most in need and are provided free of charge by HAAG. The services provided are delivered to ensure peoples’ needs are met in the most appropriate way. This can be achieved either through facilitating access to the many existing community care services or by providing a range of basic support through:

Linking to housing services by:

• assisting to find appropriate accommodation, this could include a range of activities such as locating suitable accommodation, providing advice and assistance on completing housing application forms, and coordinating the move
• assisting access to accommodation related financial or legal assistance, for example, rent relief, bond assistance, tenancy advice and legal services.

Linking to suitable care options by:

• discussing the possible care and housing options
• referring to Aged Care Assessment Teams and following up on their recommendations
• referring to Home and Community Care services
• referring to other community care services such as community Aged Care Packages
• referring to other health related services

negotiating with services on a client’s behalf where appropriate.

If you know of anyone who may require our assistance HAAG can be contacted on 96547389 for Melbourne callers and 1800 637 3898 for country callers. Or visit www.oldertenants.org.au

Ena Ahern
Housing for the Aged Action Group

This article reprinted from p.3 of The Ross House > Bulletin April 2010.