On 10 February 2006 COAG agreed to initiate a new five-year program to reduce the numbers of younger people with disability living in nursing homes throughout Australia. Governments implemented the joint Commonwealth, State and Territory program from July 2006.
The three key objectives of the Younger People with Disability in Residential Aged Care (YPIRAC) Program are to:
- move younger people with disability currently in residential aged care into appropriate supported disability accommodation; where supported disability accommodation can be made available and only if the client chooses to move
- divert future admissions of younger people with disability who are at risk of admission to residential aged care into more appropriate forms of accommodation; and
- enhance the delivery of specialist disability services to those younger people with disability who choose to remain in residential aged care, and if residential aged care remains the only available suitable supported accommodation option.
Participation in the YPIRAC program is voluntary. The initial priority of the program will be for people under 50 years of age.
COAG determined that responsibility for the day-to-day management of the program should rest with state and territory governments, and that implementation should take account of the individual circumstances applying in each jurisdiction.
The National Disability Agreement (NDA), which replaces the Commonwealth State Territory Disability Agreement (CSTDA) came into effect from 1 January 2009. The NDA supercedes all previous bilateral agreements under the previous CSTDA, including the YPIRAC Program however, targets as set out in bi-lateral agreements will remain.
A Mid Term Evaluation of the YPIRAC Program was completed in June 2009 and assessed whether the program is achieving outcomes in respect of the objectives, agreed performance targets and specific state and territory issues in each of the bilateral agreements. The period evaluated was from June 2006 to December 2008, which is prior to the commencement of the NDA.
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State and Territory programs
For more information about the YPIRAC program and disability services in each state and territory, please contact:
Australian Capital Territory
New South Wales
Northern Territory
Queensland
South Australia
- Phone: (08) 8372 1478 (Sharon Evans)
- Email: Sharon Evans (sharon.evans@dfc.sa.gov.au)
Tasmania
Victoria
Western Australia
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Request for Information - innovative approaches to support and accommodation for younger people with disability
In connection with the COAG initiative, the Department, on behalf of the Australian Government, issued a public Request for Information on arrangements for the care and support of younger people with disability.
Advertisements requesting information were placed in all national newspapers in July 2006. Seventy-eight public submissions were received from a range of respondents including service providers, peak representative bodies, advocacy groups and individuals.
A summary report has been developed for public release. The report does not endorse preferred service delivery models or particular views. It is simply designed to share information and encourage discussion about suggested options for future support and care arrangements.