Community Assistance & Temporary Supports

The ACT Government’s Community Assistance and Temporary Supports (CATS) program provides temporary services for people in the ACT to discharge safely from hospital or remain in their homes while they recover from an illness, injury or other health issue.

CATS replaces the previous Community Assistance Support Program (CASP) and the Flexible Family Support (FFS) and Transitional Care programs.

To be eligible for the program, people must live in the ACT and meet one of the following:

• Be ready to leave hospital but unable to access the supports to help you return home safely through an existing program such as the NDIS or Commonwealth aged care programs.
• Have a physical or mental health condition that is temporary or terminal and not likely to get assistance through another program such as the NDIS or Commonwealth aged care programs.
• Have a physical or mental health condition that is significant and permanent, and either be in the process of applying for or appealing an application for supports through another program such as the NDIS or Commonwealth aged care programs.

We have joined forces with Community Services #1 (CS#1) to provide support under the CATS program:

• We deliver medical and allied health transport.

• CS#1 provides care coordination and helps participants transition to other community supports and longer-term services appropriate to their needs, such as the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).

The remaining CATS services will be provided by other providers across the ACT. Details of each provider and what they will deliver are included on the ACT Government's CATS webpage.

We are working closely with the organisations that previously provided CASP to ensure participants have a smooth transition to the new program. If you previously received support under CASP, we will work with your providers to transition you to our services.