Community health organisations who will share in $1.65 million in one-off funding announced by the ACT Government on Friday say it is welcomed but not enough.
They are also worried because the money is a one-off and not ongoing, it is offers only temporary relief to a sector in crisis.
The organisations to receive money range from Asthma ACT to Companion House to Palliative Care ACT to Kidsafe ACT.
A $350,000 portion of the funding has been allocated to "ensure continuity of gym services at the Chifley Health and Wellbeing Centre", which has been closed since April. A new provider of the centre is expected to be announced by the government soon.
The funding lifeline was announced yesterday, a month out from the June 25 budget and a day after Independent ACT Senator David Pocock wrote to Chief Minister Andrew Barr, urging him to "consider favourably" Kidsafe ACT's pleas for more funding.
Senator Pocock also this week wrote to Health Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith in support to Arthritis ACT's call for more annual funding after it as forced to close two hydrotherapy centres due to insufficient funding.
Senator Pocock told The Canberra Times on Thursday that he had been pushing both levels of government to give more money to the community service sector.
Child safety charity Kidsafe received $59,052 in Friday's government announcement.
Kidsafe ACT CEO Francis Ventura welcomed the one-off funding but said it was not a long-term solution to the crisis facing the sector.
"It is welcomed and appreciated but it is a temporary reprieve," Mr Ventura said.
"We - along with others providing vital community services - are looking forward to a longer term solution that provides us with the capacity that we need to meet the needs of Canberrans, especially those in need."
Arthritis ACT received $100,000, Companion House $60,000, Directions $90,439 and Palliative Care ACT $63,220.
The bulk-billing Interchange Health Co-operation in Tuggeranong received $25,000.
Co-op chair Dee Hopkins said the money was welcomed but it did not stem the demand on the service, which regularly allowed people with multiple chronic health issues and no ability to pay to see a doctor.
Ms Hopkins said the co-op was trying to cope with the demands on it in the face of burnt-out staff and difficulty recruiting more doctors.
"We haven't closed our books - it's very hard to close your books when you are faced with people in desperate situations and nowhere else to go," she said.
"We do not want to turn anyone away, but it's becoming more difficult."
Arthritis ACT CEO Rebecca Davey said its $100,000 in funding would be spent on sending its staff to two private pools in Tuggeranong which will be attended by its clients until the government's new southside hydrotherapy pool is completed.
Ms Davey said because the money was not recurrent she did not see how it would help the organisation cope long-term with the demand for its services.
"The demand is still so high, we can't meet the demand," she said.
Palliative Care ACT chief executive Linda Hansen said its $63,000 would be put to use straight away.
"That's a very welcomed addition for Palliative Care ACT to cover some salary shortfalls that we were experiencing as a result of some wage decisions last year," she said.
Health Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith said the $1.65 million would "provide a one-off boost to community organisations that are facing financial pressures due to increased costs or service demand".
"We know many organisations that support Canberrans are facing cost pressures and seeing growing demand for their services. This funding boost recognises these challenges and will support the ongoing delivery of vital services over the next year," Ms Stephen-Smith said.
"The ACT Government has been working with a range of organisations to better understand their individual circumstances and concerns over the past few months. This one-off funding will meet their immediate needs as we continue to engage with the wider sector on the findings of previous reports and recommendations."
Organisations receiving funding include:
- Arthritis ACT
- Asthma ACT
- Australian Breastfeeding organisation
- Capital Region Cancer Relief
- Companion House
- Diabetes Australia
- Directions Health Care
- Epilepsy ACT
- Gugan Gulwan Youth Aboriginal Corporation
- Haemophilia Foundation
- Interchange Health Co-op
- KidSafe ACT
- MSI Australia
- Palliative Care ACT
- RSI Overuse Foundation
- Women's Health Matters
This package also includes more funding for the Community Assistance and Temporary Supports (CATS) Program, which provides support for people experiencing difficulties with daily living due to a short-term health issue, illness or injury.
Organisations included in funding for CATS include:
- ADACAS
- Anglicare
- Capital Region Community Services
- Carers ACT
- Community Services #1
- Life without Barriers
- Northside Community Services
In addition, $350,000 has been allocated to ensure continuity of gym services at the Chifley Health and Wellbeing Centre. Since the gym closed in April, the ACT Government has been "working to find a new service provider to ensure the ongoing delivery of this valued service".
"The Government is in discussions with the preferred providers and expects to announce a new service provider shortly," Ms Stephen-Smith said.
"This funding allocation will ensure the new provider can get on with re-establishing the service as quickly as possible."
