In 2006, the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) announced a limited, five year initiative to address the growing Younger People In Residential Aged Care (YPIRAC) issue. Held midway through this national program’s five year term, Shaping the Future Today reviewed the initiative’s achievements to date; and highlighted priorities for the final two years of its life.

The Council of Australian Government’s (COAG) Younger People in Residential Aged Care (YPIRAC) Program’s Mid-Term Review report analyses the targets, performance to date and key issues associated with the YPIRAC Program.

This landmark collaboration between Commonwealth, State and Territory Governments was always intended as a first step towards final resolution of the young people in nursing home issue, and not a solution in and of itself.

Aiming to provide community based accommodation and support alternatives to younger people with disability living in or at risk of admission to residential aged care (RAC), the YPIRAC program has three key objectives.” These are to:

• offer community based alternative supported accommodation options to younger people with disability currently accommodated in RAC
• prevent or divert further admissions of younger people with disability who are at risk of admission to RAC
• and provide disability services to younger people with disability whose health prevents them exiting RAC, or who choose to remain there for reasons of proximity to family and community in remote and rural areas.

Each state and territory government signed a bi lateral agreement with the commonwealth to implement the program. These bi lateral agreements contained targets specific to each objective. The Commonwealth Government provided 50% of the initial funding or $122m with each State and Territory matching this amount dollar for dollar on a per capita basis. Victoria provided an additional $10m for capital development.

A second phase of this landmark initiative is currently under discussion.