Compared with the other States and Territories, Canberra's human
services are provided more through the home and community, and less
through residential services, according to a report released today
by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.
The report, The Need for and Provision of Human Services in
the ACT, was commissioned by the ACT Chief Minister's
Department to assist in policy making and planning for the future
needs of the Territory's population.
It covers the broad range of services provided across the areas
of aged care, disability, housing, homelessness, alcohol and other
drugs, and mental health-and provides insight into the people who
use them.
Head of the AIHW's Welfare Division, Dr Diane Gibson, said this
broad approach was unusual and allowed interesting patterns to
emerge such as the higher provision of home and community services
coupled with a comparatively low rate of provision of residential
services, particularly in aged care, disability, and mental
health.
'On the latter point, Canberra, for example, has fewer
residential aged care places than other capital cities-80 places
per 1,000 people aged 70 and over, compared with 86 places for all
capital cities.
'However, older people in the ACT receive substantially more
support to remain living in their own homes than is the case
nationally.'
Dr Gibson said that the report also showed that many services
are being used by people who come from outside the Territory.
'Almost 15% of residents in aged care services were from outside
the ACT, as were 11% of mental health-related hospital admissions,
and 3% of people using disability services.
'These figures show the importance of Canberra-based services to
people living in surrounding regional areas as well as within the
ACT itself.'
Other findings in the report were that:
- The ACT has a relatively high level of public housing provision
compared with the rest of Australia.
- The ACT has a lower rate of homelessness than any other State
or Territory, and a greater proportion of homeless people using
services provided by the Supported Accommodation Assistance Program
(SAAP). Nonetheless, about 20 clients were turned away each day by
SAAP services in the ACT.
- The current low vacancy rate for private rental housing in the
ACT has increased pressure on public housing and on SAAP
services.
- Of clients using alcohol and drug treatment services, a higher
proportion in the ACT sought treatment for heroin than was the case
nationally (44% compared to 28%), and a lower proportion sought
treatment for cannabis (7% compared to 14% nationally).
5 March 2003
Further information: Dr Diane Gibson, AIHW,
tel. 02 6244 1190
For media copies of the report: Publications Officer,
AIHW,
tel. 02 6244 1032
Availability: Check the AIHW Publications
Catalogue for details.