CHSP, RAS, ACAT…..When it comes to aged care, acronyms abound. What do they mean, and how do they work? ACH Group’s Teresa Moran explains some of the most commonly used.
CHSP and HCP are short for Commonwealth Home Support Program and Home Care Packages. These are government subsidised programs designed to support people to stay living at home longer. CHSP is a collection of services we call ‘lighter touch’ – things like help with housework, gardening and access to social groups. HCP is a ‘package’ of services to support people who need more than just the basics – and along with help around the house can include personal care, medication management, assistance with meals and so on.
CDC stands for Consumer Directed Care. Under CDC, the person accessing services chooses how their government allocated funds are spent.
RAS stands for Regional Assessment Service and assesses the person to work out what level of services they might need. The RAS assessor can immediately approve services for people whose needs are less complex and who will then be able to access services through the Commonwealth Home Support Program.
If a person’s needs are more complex and indicate that they might need a Home Care Package, Residential Care or Respite, they will need an ACAT assessment. ACAT stands for Aged Care Assessment Team. Team members will conduct a free assessment to determine what types of services might be of assistance.
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