|
It is the Commonwealth Government (with income maintenance), the Tasmanian Government and non-government welfare organisations that, in the main, respond to community needs.
As well as cash income, government programs also help those with low incomes to meet payments for housing through rent assistance, and for a range of goods and services through pensioner concession and health cards. There are also a number of services aimed at helping people in personal and social hardship. Other types of programs aim to provide assistance with employment and advocacy to people with disabilities.
Throughout the 1990s and now into the 21st century, each of these providers has seen an increase in demand for their services. One consequence has been a movement towards increased cooperation between government and private sector providers in an effort to meet the changing needs of the community.
SUMMARY OF COMMUNITY SERVICES ACTIVITY - Tasmania
|
| | Unit | Period | Tas. |
|
Aged Care | | | |
| Residential aged care places utilised | no. | as at 30 June 2003 | 3,896 |
| Community Aged Care Package recipients | no. | as at 30 June 2003 | 741 |
| | | | |
Children and families | | | |
| Children aged less than 12 years using formal child care only | no. | June 2002 | 10,800 |
| Children to 18 years under guardianship | no. | as at 30 June 2003 | 275 |
| Family group conferences | no. | 2002-03 | 58 |
| Children in out of home care services | no. | as at 30 June 2003 | 468 |
| Domestic Violence Crisis Service - new clients | no. | 2002-03 | 1,227 |
| Occasions of service in child health centres | no. | 2002-03 | 123,131 |
| | | | |
Mental health services | | | |
| Inpatient units, separations | no. | 2002-03 | 2,395 |
| Community and residential units, total active clients | no. | as at 30 June 2003 | 4,468 |
| | | | |
Disability services | | | |
| Clients receiving accommodation support | no. | as at 30 June 2003 | 719 |
| | | | |
Oral health services | | | |
| Occasions of service - children | no. | 2002-03 | 72,129 |
| Occasions of service - adult, general | no. | 2002-03 | 3,011 |
| | | | |
Palliative care services | | | |
| Clients accessing community activity services | no. | 2002-03 | 4,063 |
| Inpatients, average length of stay (days) | no. | 2002-03 | 10.9 |
| | | | |
Voluntary work | | | |
| Number of volunteers | no. | 2000 | 115,600 |
| Median weekly hours worked | no. | 2000 | 1.5 |
| | | | |
Income support payments | | | |
| Age Pension recipients | no. | June 2002 | 49,266 |
| Service Pension recipients | no. | June 2002 | 11,778 |
| Disability Support Pension recipients | no. | June 2002 | 22,991 |
| Newstart Allowance recipients | no. | June 2002 | 20,257 |
| Family Tax Benefit recipients | no. | June 2002 | 83,025 |
| Parenting Payment recipients | no. | June 2002 | 20,094 |
| | | | |
Housing assistance | | | |
| Public housing - occupants | no. | as at June 2003 | 23,472 |
| Public housing - households | no. | as at June 2003 | 11,624 |
| | | | |
Community services industry | | | |
| Expenditure on direct community service activities | $m | 1999-2000 | 318.4 |
| Organisations | no. | 1999-2000 | 317 |
Source: Department of Health and Ageing; Child Care, Australia, June 2002 (cat. no. 4402.0); Department of Health and Human Services; Voluntary Work, Australia (cat. no. 4441.0); Centrelink; Department of Veterans’ Affairs, Annual Report 2001-02; Housing Tasmania; and Community Services, Australia, 1999-2000 (cat. no. 8696.0). |
For further information about community services provision in Tasmania, access the links on the following webpage, Community Services
See the following link for more information about the community service industry in Tasmania.
|