All Support Services

Support Services

Can food and meal services deliver?

Meals on Wheels enables vulnerable older people and younger people with disabilities to remain in their own homes and enhance their level of independence and wellbeing. Anyone can access Meals on Wheels through their local service provider, whether you’re a self-funded retiree or younger person with a disability and individual funding through Disability Services Commission. Some consumers may be currently in receipt of packaged home care such as a Community Aged Care Package(CACP), or Extended Aged Care at Home package (EACH or EACH-D). Clients in receipt of these packages would need to discuss the option of including Meals on Wheels services into their package with their current service provider.

Consumers also may be eligible for services through the Home and Community Care Programs(HACC) which is partly funded by the State and Commonwealth Government. This enables services to be provided at a reduced cost to consumers. Eligibility assessments for Meals on Wheels are carried out by a HACC professional, who may also suggest other available services, depending on the client’s individual needs. To find out if you are eligible for Meals on Wheels please contact your local service provider who can guide you through the referral process in your area.

For your nearest Meals on Wheels services, please click here.

Can someone help me develop a budget?

The Department of Human Services’ Financial Information Service is a free, confidential service that provides education and information on financial and lifestyle issues to all Australians.

The information you get from the Financial Information Service (FIS) can help you:

understand your financial affairs
learn more about investing
learn how to save and plan for the future
learn more about shares, property, salary sacrificing, and superannuation
start planning your retirement and understand the options available
understand the financial implications when you, or someone close to you, is considering moving into residential care
use credit in a sensible way
Our FIS officers can show you how to make informed financial decisions and help you understand the consequences of those decisions in the short, medium and long term.

FIS officers provide information to people over the phone, at personal interviews, and through financial-education seminars held in a range of locations across Australia.

The Financial Counsellors of Western Australia also offer free independent information to help people to take control of their own financial situation. For more information please click here

Can I get support if Centrelink believes I owe them money?

Support is dependent on the results of a means test regardless of any debts you may have with Centrelink or any other government department. Depending on eligibility, a financial advisor may be appointed to you to assist with budgeting and financial management.

Can I get an emergency payment if I can’t pay my rent?

As soon as you experience difficulty paying the rent, contact the owner/agent to explain the situation and make an arrangement. The sooner you contact them, the less likely you are to encounter problems. You can also contact the Tenant Advice Line or Financial Counsellors Association of WA for more information, and read the following section for other supports.

Support to maintain a tenancy

It is easy to fall into difficulties when renting a property, for example if the rent falls behind or a large utility bill is not able to be paid, or one of the children accidentally breaks a window and a neighbour makes a complaint. There are support services available to assist people to deal with these types of issues to avoid eviction and the threat of homelessness. It is important to do something about any problems as early as possible, and support services may be able to negotiate positive outcomes, or assist with emergency relief funds if the matter is dealt with in its early stages.

The Federal Government, Western Australian Government and non-government organisations provide several types of rental housing products and supports to Western Australians on a low to moderate income who have a housing issue. These products and supports come in the form of rental housing options, rent assistance, information on tenant rights, legal support and emergency relief. Eligibility criteria vary from product to product or service.

Private Rental Tenancy Support Services:

Australian Red Cross – 9225 8888
Centrecare – 9440 0400
Ruah Community Services – 9493 5021
Anglicare – 9528 0702
UnitingCare West – 1300 663 298
Multicultural Services Centre of WA – 9328 1544
Accord West –South West of Western Australia – 9791 3213 (Bunbury)
Anglicare WA – Great Southern area of Western Australia – 9845 6666 (Albany)
Geraldton Resource Centre – 9938 0600 (Murchison)
WestAus Crisis and Welfare Service – 9582 9920 (Peel)
These Private Rental Tenancy Support Services work with families or individuals experiencing difficulties with their private rental tenancies. The services link with mainstream services before debts or other tenancy management issues become unmanageable or eviction processes start.

Support workers liaise with landlords and property managers to facilitate tenants remaining in tenancies by assisting tenants to come up with solutions to the issues being experienced.

The Department of Housing also offers Private Rental Aboriginal Assistance Loans for Aboriginal people living in private rental housing who are experiencing financial difficulties in relation to their tenancies. Eligibility criteria apply, so contact the Department of Housing for more information or click here.

How do I access Centrelink Payments?

Contact a social worker: Call us on 132 850 to speak to a social worker (Department of Human Services)
Payments and services to help you if you are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless, or have rent issues:

A Crisis Payment is a one-off payment that can help you if you are experiencing difficult or extreme circumstances.
Community Engagement Officers offer support and assistance to homeless people and those at risk of homelessness, to help them understand, claim and maintain income support payments. Community Engagement Officers deliver services to people outside the traditional service centre setting.
Our social workers can also help you during difficult times by providing confidential counselling, support and information.
Centrepay is a free service that allows you to pay bills with regular deductions from your Centrelink payments.
Centrelink

If I own a property am I still eligible to access legal aid?

There are several different mechanisms to determine if you will qualify for a grant of legal aid, including:

The Means Test

The Reasonableness Test.To satisfy the Reasonableness Test, Legal Aid WA must consider the following three main factors:

The legal and factual merits of the application. Based on the information provided, Legal Aid WA must be satisfied that the proposed action has merit in the strict legal sense and to the extent that there is a reasonable likelihood of success.

The cost versus benefit/detriment test. Legal Aid WA must consider whether the cost involved in pursuing the claim is likely to outweigh the ultimate benefit to be gained or the detriment to be suffered.

Whether it is it appropriate to spend limited public legal aid funds, given the competing interests for these funds? There are always many applications awaiting assessment. These applications vary in nature and relative merit. Funds are limited. We have to decide if it is appropriate to spend such limited funds. We have to prioritise the spending of such limited fund.

The Legal Aid WA Guidelines. All applications for legal aid are assessed under the applicable State or Commonwealth Guidelines. The guidelines set out criteria that must be met before a grant of legal aid can be made. Eligibility for legal aid will differ depending on whether you are seeking legal aid for a State or Commonwealth matter.

If you are not sure of your eligibility, you should enquire at your local Legal Aid WA office. Alternatively, you may download and complete a Legal Aid WA application form and submit it to Legal Aid WA.

For more information call Legal Aid WA on 1300 650 579 or click here.

Please note you must qualify under the means test and the reasonableness test and the guidelines to be eligible for a grant of legal aid.

I have mental health issues. What services are available?

Some transitional accommodation programs include:

For men, women and young people leaving prison or a juvenile detention facility. Contact the Department of Corrective Services on 131217 for information on funded accommodation services for people released from prison.

For young people leaving state care, and people released from mental health facilities, drug and alcohol rehabilitation centres contact the Department for Child Protection for information on funded services.

For a list of mainstream and specialist supported accommodation services and providers, click here.

Some services, such as those for seniors, people with disabilities or with a mental illness, may provide long term, ongoing support and accommodation. If you are seeking ongoing supported accommodation please use the Housing Options & Resources search to contact service providers.

Aboriginal Family Law Services – Port Hedland

Category: Support Services
Phone: 9172 5024

The Western Australian Family Violence Prevention Legal Service (trading as Aboriginal Family Law Services) (AFLS) is a Prime Minister and Cabinet funded legal and community education service for victims of read more

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Aboriginal Family Support – Southcare Inc

Category: Support Services
Phone: 9450 6233

Our Aboriginal family support service offers information, support, advocacy and referral services to Aboriginal families and single people living in Como, Karawara, Kensington, Manning, Salter Point, South Perth and Waterford. read more

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Aboriginal Homeless and Fringe Dweller Support Service – Bega Garnbirringu Health Services

Category: Support Services
Phone: (08) 9022 5549

Providing a holistic and culturally appropriate health care service to the Aboriginal peoples of the Goldfields. Provides breakfast to those who are homeless or at imminent risk of homelessness as read more

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Aboriginal Legal Service of WA – Albany

Category: Support Services
Phone: 1800 016 715

The Aboriginal Legal Service of Western Australia (Inc.) (ALSWA) provides legal representation and support services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Western Australia, including advocating in policy and read more

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Aboriginal Legal Service of WA – Broome

Category: Support Services
Phone: 1800 351 067

The Aboriginal Legal Service of Western Australia (Inc.) (ALSWA) provides legal representation and support services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Western Australia, including advocating in policy and read more

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