Assistance with Care and Housing (ACH)
Assistance with Care and Housing aims to avoid and reduce the impact of homelessness by providing access to short-medium term housing solutions, community care and support services.
Assistance with Care and Housing is currently available in the following regions in New South Wales:
- South East Sydney
ACH Accommodation
Transitional Housing offers short-medium term accommodation, up to 18 months:
- Catholic Healthcare manages Transitional Housing for women in a safe, female only environment.
- Catholic Healthcare manages Transitional Housing for men in association with Bridge Housing
Eligibility Criteria
- You are eligible for priority social housing
- You are homeless or at risk of homelessness
- You meet the criteria for the Assistance with Care and Housing Program
ACH Services:
- Hoarding and Squalor Services – Complete personalised assessment and Care Plans for those living in situations of hoarding and squalor. Services include: Deep cleaning and rubbish- removal, specialist support and on-going assistance.
- Coordinated Support – ensuring support between services and programs is linked to optimise health and wellbeing for those that are vulnerable and disadvantaged in the community.
- Securing accommodation – ensuring appropriate housing and care needs are met.
- One-on-one contact – ensuring those that are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless receive rapid responses.
Eligibility Criteria
- People aged 50 and over (45 and over for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people)
- People with low income or at risk of homelessness as a result of housing stress or not having secure accommodation
- The person being assessed for assistance under the sub-program, and who must meet the above eligibility requirement is regarded as the Principal Clients. The Principal Client may have dependants, and these are regarded co-habiting clients.
- Co-habiting clients do not need to meet the eligibility requirements and are entitled to receive the same range of Assistance with Care and Housing support as Principal Clients. This is because the stability of the client household is important to the long-term viability of future accommodation arrangements
- Clients who are eligible to access ACH services are also eligible to access other CHSP services targeted at avoiding homelessness or reducing the impact of homelessness. All ACH clients must be assessed by My Aged Care via the assessment services to determine eligibility and need to receive additional CHSP services.