Aged and Disability Team (ADT)

Offers the Community Connections Program & Housing Support for the Aged both programs areas are nationally accredited and meet the Home and Community Care Standards. Accreditation 2003 to 2007 

The Aged and Disability Team is HACC funded, and as such, seeks to provide a holistic response to a special needs HACC eligible client group that aims for maximum independence and quality of life, through a consultative process.

ADT provides support in home and community-based settings to frail aged people and younger people with disabilities and their carers. The overall objective of ADT is to enhance the independence of people in these groups and to avoid their premature or inappropriate admission to long term residential care.

Who we provide services to; target population

1. The term frail older people is used in the definition of the target population and do not qualify for HACC purely on the basis of their age. They need to have been assessed as needing assistance with the activities of daily living and have a moderate, severe or profound disability.
2. Activities of daily living include dressing, preparing meals, house cleaning, shopping people may need only one service (for example nursing services or personal care), while others may need a combination of services.
3. People with disabilities of all ages are in the HACC target group. The term ‘younger people with a disability' is used to distinguish this group from older people who are frail. They need to have been assessed as needing assistance with the activities of daily living skills and have a moderate, severe or profound disability.
4. It should be noted that for younger people with a disability, specific purpose programs (for example, disability rehabilitation, department of human service disability intake and employment support) might be more appropriate than HACC services.
5. The HACC Program target group also includes people who might not have access to long term residential care for multiple reasons. An example might be assessing and relocating residents from an SRS to another SRS or hostel level care. Another example is, assessing and relocating people from independent accommodation to residential type care.
6. Both older people and younger people with disabilities should be assessed on the basis of need for basic home & personal maintenance and support services, and have minimal established links to those support services or the services are at risk of deteriorating.

What does CCP do ?

1. Short term case-management
2. Provides assessment of need and coordinates service response to people.
3. Assertive outreach
4. Supports and maintains maximum independence for people in low cost accommodation, those who are homeless, or at risk of homelessness

Referral Pathways for Merri Outreach Support Services HACC funded programs:

1. If a service believes client is eligible for assessment, the service provider should complete the CCP referral form.
2. If it is a self referral, the person can contact CCP directly
3. CCP is the referral pathway into HSAP.

What does Housing Support for the Aged do?

1. Long term case-management
2. supports and maintains maximum independence within Office of Housing settings
3. Seeks improved health outcomes

Access to long term case management from the Housing support for the aged is through the community connections program and must be screened and assessed by community connections staff.

The Community Connections Program works on an assertive outreach model which means that when workers are visiting people in their accommodation they do not ignore the people in the next room or neighbour and that the worker has the flexibility to respond. You can ring the Community Connections Program workers to refer yourself to the program or someone else can contact us on your behalf.

Catchment Areas
If you live in Moreland, Darebin, Banyule, Whittlesea or Nillumbik you can contact:
Merri Outreach Support Service, 137 Sydney Road, Coburg Tel: 9383 4988.

The Programs are professional staffed with qualified community service workers.
Ken, Romy, Dianne, Emma and Bradley are available for consultations.

* CCP and HSAP are state-wide services that are auspiced by different agencies throughout the region.

Eligibility Assessment