Veterans' Home Care

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Overview

The Veterans’ Home Care (VHC) Program provides low level home care services to eligible veterans and war widows and widowers.

DVA has contracted organisations to provide assessment and coordination of VHC services (known as VHC Assessment Agencies) and contracted organisations to deliver VHC services (known as VHC Service Providers) across Australia.

Veterans and war widows and widowers can be referred to a VHC Assessment Agency for an assessment for VHC services by contacting 1300 550 450. Calls should be made from a landline telephone, as calls from a mobile phone cannot be connected.

Further information

For more information about VHC see the following VHC factsheets and information sheet for veterans.

VHC Secure Services log-on

Assessment Agency CAG users

Access the secure site for Assessment Agencies

Service Providers

Access the VHC Provider Portal

How contracted VHC Service Providers can activate their VHC Provider Portal account

Panel of VHC Assessment Agencies and Service Providers

VHC Assessment Agencies

DVA-contracted VHC Assessment Agencies provide comprehensive assessment and coordination services in 54 service delivery areas (VHC regions) covering all of Australia.

VHC Assessment Agencies assess the needs and approve services to veterans and war widows and widowers. Each VHC region is serviced by one VHC Assessment Agency. Where services are approved, the VHC Assessment Agency, in consultation with the veteran or war widow or widower, will arrange services with a contracted VHC Service Provider. A VHC Service Plan is sent to the VHC Service Provider and a VHC Care Plan is sent to the veteran or war widow or widower.

DVA procures VHC Assessment Agencies through an Australia-wide Request for Tender process. The Request for Tender is advertised on the Australian Government’s procurement website, AusTender.

VHC Service Providers

DVA-contracted VHC Service Providers deliver the VHC services approved by the VHC Assessment Agency to veterans and war widows and widowers across the 54 VHC regions Australia-wide.

VHC Service Providers do not establish eligibility, assess service needs, determine levels of copayments, make changes to a current VHC Service Plan or approve additional or new services. However, if a VHC Service Provider believes that a veteran’s or war widow or widower's needs have changed they refer the matter to the VHC Assessment Agency.

On 3 April 2017 the Request for Tender for the delivery of VHC services was released on the Australian Government’s tendering website, AusTender. The Request for Tender is to form a new panel of VHC Service Providers.  The Request for Tender and associated documentation is available for download from the AusTender website.  The Approaches to Market (ATM) ID number is VHC-SP-2017.  The Request for Tender outlines the processes involved, and documentation required, to submit a tender. An industry briefing video is also available on the YouTube website.

Panel of DVA-Contracted VHC Assessment Agencies and Service Providers by state - Current as of 3 January 2018

(This date represents the date this information was updated and is not the contract start date).

VHC Regions

This section provides maps of the 54 VHC regions by State.

Carer Awareness Training Package

A self-paced training package for provider staff and management with a focus on carers, their issues and needs, the Carer Recognition Act 2010 (the Act) and compliance with the Act.

This training package is available on the Carer Awareness Training Package page.

​CVC Social Assistance

The Coordinated Veterans' Care (CVC) Program aims to improve coordination of primary and community care for Gold Card holders most at risk of unplanned hospitalisation.

CVC Social Assistance provides a short-term service (up to 12 weeks) to CVC participants to help them re-engage in community life through social contact or accompaniment to a social activity. CVC Social Assistance is delivered through the VHC Program. Only GPs are able to refer CVC participants to the VHC Assessment Agency for a CVC Social Assistance assessment.

The following forms can be used by VHC Assessment Agencies and Service Providers to facilitate feedback of CVC participants’ progression on CVC Social Assistance:

Aged Care Reforms

For information on the Aged care reforms, including the Veterans’ Supplement and other initiatives that directly impact on the veteran community, please view the DVA Aged Care webpage.

The Home Care Packages Program, the Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP), and the Home and Community Care (HACC) Program (in Victoria and Western Australia) may provide additional assistance not available under VHC.

For more information on these programmes, you can visit the My Aged Care website or contact the My Aged Care National Contact Centre on 1800 200 422* (Monday to Friday 8am to 8pm, Saturday 10am to 2pm), from any location within Australia.

*Free local call - calls from mobile or pay phones may incur charges.

Note: These programmes are not funded directly by DVA and there may be additional costs associated with this care.

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