Community health

The Department of Human Services funds a range of community based health services via its Community Health Program. Funded services include:

• approximately 100 community health services across Victoria
• women’s health services,
• family planning services
• some statewide specialist services including: Victorian Foundation for the Survivors of Torture; International Diabetes Institute; Centre for Adolescent Health and Centre for Culture Ethnicity and Health.

The Community Health Program also facilitates the delivery of the Innovative Health Services for Homeless Youth Program. This is a Commonwealth / State program that provides funding to community organisations to promote health care for homeless and otherwise at risk young people. For more information, see Homeless youth.

Community health services provide health services for other population groups that may have trouble accessing appropriate health care. Examples of these groups are Aboriginal people, people with disabilities, refugees and people seeking asylum, the homeless and those at risk of homelessness, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds and, in some areas, people living in rural communities. For more information, see about Community Health Services.