The S@H Program Manual - What’s Changed?
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The Department of Health & Aged Care (DoHAC) published the first version of the Support at Home (S@H) Program Manual on 7 March 2025. The Manual weighs in at 209 pages and provides more detail on how the new program will operate. The Manual is as notable for what it doesn’t include as much as for the changes it details.
What’s Missing?
The S@H Program Manual will not be the only manual providers will need. For example, the Manual refers to the following which are due to be released prior to 1 July 2025:
New Aged Care Act Policy Manual
Supported Decision-Making Framework
S@H Program Assurance Framework and Program Assurance Plan
Assistive Technology & Home Modifications (AT-HM) Scheme Guidelines
Restorative Care Pathway Clinical Guidelines.
The Manual flags many areas as ‘still to come’ (mostly because consultations on the Rules under the Aged Care Act are still underway), including:
Continuity of care (the new terminology for security of tenure)
Provider obligations and registration conditions
Additional details re wellness and reablement
Additional details re the S@H priority system and access to interim funding
Service agreements
Income and assets assessments
End-of-Life Pathway Form
Service Australia claiming guidance
Cancellations and no shows
Monthly statements
Program linkages (S@H relationships with CHSP, Transition Care, Residential Care, MPS, ATSI aged care, NDIS and Disability Support for Older Australians).
What’s Changed?
Wellness and Reablement
In a very welcome move, the Department has embedded wellness and reablement into the core of S@H. This is consistent with the approach to CHSP. The Manual (p.38) states that “Wellness and reablement approaches support providers to ensure that service delivery aligns with the core principles of Support at Home. Providers should support participants to maximise their wellbeing, independence, autonomy and capacity through person-centred wellness and reablement approaches. These approaches should focus on individual participant strengths and goals and recognise the importance of partnering with the individual.”
Care Management
The Program Manual expands on the information in the S@H Handbook to clarify what care management will encompass in S@H. The Manual (see p.67-69) details what activities can legitimately be claimed under care management and which are excluded. It also specifies the S@H provider’s responsibility for care planning and review. The option for self management and what the provider must continue to do are outlined in section 10. The Manual (p.119) states, “Regardless of self-management arrangements, participants receiving ongoing services will have 10% deducted from their quarterly budget for care management.” Where a self-managed participant requests a third party provide services, the S@H provider may charge an overhead of up to 10% but cannot exceed the overall price cap for the service type.
Funding
The figure below outlines how the funding will operate under S@H (Manual p.81):
The dementia supplement is dropped for new S@H participants but will continue to be available for grandfathered HCP care recipients who were receiving the supplement on 30 June 2025. Supplements that will be available are:
oxygen
enteral feeding
Veterans.
The Manual (p.95-96) specifies what must be included in participant budgets. It also confirms that providers will set their own prices in 2025-26 and must include all administrative and travel costs in the unit price. The Government will set capped prices from July 2026.
Leave Arrangements
Unlike HCPs now, there will be no leave arrangements under S@H. Participants can temporarily stop services for hospital stays, residential respite or holidays, but the provider will not need to report this to the Department or Services Australia.
AT-HM Scheme
Providers will have to claim coordination costs (known as wrap around costs) from the participant’s AT-HM budget. They are capped at 15% of the quoted cost or up to $1,500 (whichever is lower).
Restorative Care Pathway
Participants cannot receive more than two units of 12-week pathway funding ($6,000) in each 12-month period, but if assessed as needing it, funding can be extended to $12,000 for a single episode.
Verification of Services
Evidence must be collected and retained for every service and purchase, including those delivered by 3rd-parties. In almost every situation, invoices are not considered proof of delivery. The Manual (p.112) states “providers are required to maintain documentation that demonstrates confirmation of delivery of care and services for all participants.”
The Waiting is Not Over
Providers have been waiting way too long for this detail to arrive. With less than four short months to full program implementation many more questions of detail need to be resolved in the best interests of both participants and providers.
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