City of Ballarat will exit as a service provider for the Home and Community Care Program for Younger Persons (HACC-PYP) for people under 65 years of age by June 30, following no firm commitment on funding from the Victorian government. 

Monetary support for the program has decreased, as many participants qualifying for the National Disability Insurance Scheme. 

But almost 100 people in City of Ballarat’s HACC-PYP have not been able to qualify for NDIS funding, and will now receive support from one of the city’s 33 home care providers, paid for by the state government.

People suffering chronic diseases such as multiple sclerosis and early onset arthritis are part of the group denied NDIS funding. 

The decision to turn over the program to local service providers was made in camera at the March 14 ordinary council meeting, meaning discussion was closed to the public and media.

Other councils including City of Monash have already exited service provision for the program, following the roll-out of the NDIS. 

HACC-PYP provides domestic assistance, nursing, allied health, food and respite services, to keep people in their own homes longer.  

City of Ballarat’s director of people and communities Neville Ivey said that private care providers are better positioned than council to give clients regular and high-quality support. 

“Because [funding] has been reduced significantly, although we don’t have the same number of clients in that program, the issue that I have is that we’re unable to maintain an acceptable level of care,” he said.  

“We might only be able to go into someone’s home every two or three weeks, and I don’t believe that’s achieving our duty of care.”

City of Ballarat confirmed no staff would lose employment due to the change. 

The Department of Health and Human Services estimates that 21,000 Victorians will have transitioned from HACC-PYP to the NDIS by June next year.