HACC Program for Younger People assessment

Assessment is the gateway to services from the HACC Program for Younger People. It establishes a person’s eligibility to receive services, and it identifies the needs and expectations of the person and their carer. It also sets up the person’s best pathway through the service system.

A person can approach any funded organisation and ask to be assessed for their eligibility and priority for a HACC Program for Younger People service. This approach – ‘no wrong door’ – is a key to the philosophy of service delivery. Initial screening determines whether the person is in the program target group, and identifies the person’s needs and priority for the services that the organisation provides, and also whether the person has broader needs and requires referral to other service types.

If broader needs are identified, then the organisation will refer the person to a HACC Program for Younger People assessment service that provides a broad, holistic assessment called a Living at Home Assessment. A Living at Home Assessment takes place in the client’s home, when possible. It helps people to explore ways to live independently and remain active members of their community.

People can refer themselves for a Living at Home Assessment or be referred by their general practitioner, health service, community service organisations or another HACC Program for Younger People provider.

Living at Home Assessment for people aged under 65

A Living at Home Assessment is a funded activity delivered by a designated assessment service under the HACC Program for Younger People. This assessment involves careful planning, matching the person’s needs and goals to the most appropriate service response either from carers, family members and friends, local community groups and or subsidised services funded through the HACC Program for Younger People or other health and community services.

Asssessment information is discussed in more detail in the HACC program manual 2013. To download the manual please go to Program guidelines.

Strengthening assessment and care planning practice

A wide range of resources support consistent practice in Living at Home Assessments.

The HACC Living at Home Assessment tool and guidelines for use were released in March 2015. The assessment tool is now mandated for all HACC Program for Younger People assessment services unless they have developed their own comprehensive assessment tool.

The HACC assessment information update March 2015 gives an overview of the tool, how it was developed and who should use it. The department also recommends two service coordination tool templates (SCTT) as supplementary tools: ASSIST and the K10.

Other key resources are:

• Strengthening assessment and care planning: a guide for HACC assessment services in Victoria 2010
• Strengthening assessment and care planning: workbook 2010
• Induction resource for HACC assessment services ‒ Municipal Association of Victoria October 2010.

People with dementia and their carers

Two resources have been developed to improve assessment and care planning for people with dementia and their carers:

• Strengthening assessment and care planning: dementia practice guidelines for HACC assessment services 2012 provide a ‘dementia lens’ to assessment and care planning in the HACC program.
• A guide to services for people with dementia and their carers 2012 is an overview of health and aged care services that support people with dementia and their carers in the four stages of dementia management.

Recording assessment and care coordination hours

HACC Program for Younger People assessment services are expected to use the HACC Minimum Data Set (MDS) to record hours of assessment and care coordination.

For advice on counting rules, please go to Reporting and data.

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