Supporting people with disability to get out of hospital with continued State Government funding

Yooralla are pleased to be able to continue supporting people with disability to move out of hospital and into a more home-like environment, under the Department of Health’s ‘Pathways to Home’ program.

The Victorian Government has committed $9.1 million in the 2023-24 State Budget to continue to deliver ‘Pathways to Home’ for another year, recognising the positive impacts the program has had to date.

Yooralla established the Hospital to Home program as part of the Victorian Department of Health’s ‘COVID-19 Transitional Care Program for People with Disability’ and was the first disability provider to support a patient to leave hospital in December 2021.

Since that time, Yooralla has partnered with Melbourne Health, Eastern Health, Monash Health, Alfred Health, Austin Health and the Summer Foundation to support 24 people with disability to move out of hospital and into a more home-like environment, while waiting for permanent housing and support arrangements. Collectively, this has prevented over 2,000 days of these individuals being stuck in hospital.

Terry Symonds, Yooralla’s Chief Executive Officer recognises the importance of this program in supporting people with disability.

“People with disability being stuck in hospital past their medical need to be there and while they wait for their permanent supports has been a long-standing issue,” Mr Symonds said.

“Programs such as Pathways to Home are a constructive way to support people to live in a home-like environment while waiting for permanent supports and should be given long-term funding at a level that covers the cost to health services.”

“I am pleased that the State Government have recognised the benefits of this program and will continue to fund ‘Pathways to Home’ in 2023-24. This means disability providers, such as Yooralla, can continue supporting people with disability to transition from hospital into temporary accommodation with the continuation of funding of the ‘Pathways to Home’ program.”

“This program is a win-win, in that it not only supports people with disability to increase their independence and improve their quality of life, but it also supports a hospital system that is already under strain.”

“We are immensely proud of the role we have played in supporting the state-wide program, which has overall supported 124 individuals leave hospital when medically ready,” Mr Symonds said.

Find out more about Yooralla’s Hospital to Home program online.

Read Yooralla’s Insight into Practice – Hospital to Home.

ENDS

Media contact:

Julia Le Hunt, Senior Marketing and Communications Advisor, Yooralla

Phone: 03 9633 6912

Email: julia.lehunt@yooralla.com.au