The Australian Government continues to support approved aged care providers with the additional costs associated with managing COVID-19 and has extended the COVID-19 Aged Care Support Program Extension grant to 31 January 2023.
The closing date for applications has been extended to 2pm Canberra local time on 31 January 2023, to support approved aged care providers with additional costs to manage a direct impact of COVID-19 up to 31 December 2022. Additional funding of $83.4 million will take the total funding available under this grant to $191.5 million.
The grant reimburses the following additional costs incurred during an impact period:
- Additional salary costs, over and above business as usual costs, to secure staff in a service with residents/clients who are infected or isolated due to COVID-19.
- Additional costs to replace existing staff who are infected or isolated due to COVID-19.
- The purchase of additional PPE and Rapid Antigen Tests.
- The purchase of additional cleaning and infection control products/services.
- Additional equipment and resources required to manage a service in an infection control environment.
- Waste removal costs.
- Travel and accommodation costs to secure staff.
- Costs for training staff and residents/clients in infection control during an impact period.
Approved Residential Aged Care, National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Flexible Aged Care Program (NATSIFACP) and Home Care Package providers are eligible to apply if they have:
- One or more residents, clients or staff members who have been tested for COVID-19 and had to isolate as result (regardless of whether the result is positive or negative).
- Incurred eligible expenses during that period of isolation (from the date of an associated COVID-19 test until the period of isolation ends) between 28 May 2021 and 31 December 2022.
- If you have started an application using the old form, you will need to submit your application by 2pm (AEST) on 30 June 2022 or copy your existing information into the new form to avoid losing a partially completed application.
For more information please see the updated Grant Opportunity Guidelines (Grant Opportunity – GO4863) and responses to frequently asked questions available on GrantConnect.
