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This is the eighth COVID-19 update from WACOSS. We are committed to providing the WA community services sector with crucial information and high level resources as necessary, until the pandemic subsides.
Content from these updates will be posted on the Community Services Resource page on the WACOSS website.
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT UPDATES
Additional updates were made on Sunday 29 March 2020, which include a $1.1 billion package which boosts mental health services, domestic violence support, Medicare assistance for people at home and emergency food relief. More information is available on the Federal Government’s announcement here.
The Federal Government has also developed an app for which everyone can get up-to-date information on COVID-19. Download the official government “Coronavirus Australia” app in the Apple App Store or Google Play, or join the WhatsApp channel on iOS or Android.
Read more from the Federal Government here.
STATE GOVERNMENT UPDATES
The State Government has issued intrastate travel restrictions between regional boundaries (Perth and Peel, including Mandurah, are being counted as the one area) from Tuesday night, 12am Wednesday 1 April 2020. There are exceptions for people who are required to travel for work, for those who are required to deliver essential services or for medical needs, among other exceptions. People travelling between boundaries may be stopped and challenged to present ID and to justify their reasons for travelling. There are strong penalties for people who don’t comply with the restrictions. Read the full media release here.
PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT (PPE) UPDATE
WACOSS and other peak bodies continue to work with Government to understand the PPE needs of the community services sector, and are getting closer to a system for services to apply to the Government for PPE once it becomes available.
In the interim, community service organisations and employees are encouraged to complete the Federal Government Department of Health COVID-19 Infection Control Training here. In addition, workers are encouraged to read the information for healthcare and residential care workers from the WA State Government Department of Health here.
PEAKS COVID-19 COLLABORATION
The community sector peak bodies have been collaborating closely together during this time to support everyone in WA, and in particular those made most vulnerable.
Kylie Hansen will be working across the peak bodies to coordinate our work and our support for our members, ensuring we are not duplicating work and we are leveraging one another’s strengths.
As peak bodies we are doing our best to ensure our support for members, and for the entire sector, is clear, timely, targeted and effective. Kylie will also support Chris Twomey in aggregating issue and concerns across sectors and communicating them to the relevant state government departments.
UPDATE FROM THE COMMUNITY SECTOR PARTNERSHIP TEAM
A community response team has been formed in the Department of Communities to support. Debra Zanella (CEO, Ruah Community Services and President, WACOSS) and Rob Wilton (Director, Parkerville Youth Care Inc.) have been seconded into the team for their key skills. Their actions to date have included working on a common understanding of essential and critical services. Taskforces have also been established to combine the efforts of community sector service partners and the State so that joint service delivery is targeted where it is needed the most. For more information, you can read the first full update here and the map of sector partnerships.
NEW INFORMATION AND UPDATED RESOURCES
Shelter WA is providing information and links for the social and affordable housing and homelessness sector in Western Australia relating to Coronavirus. Visit the webpage here.
The Youth Affairs Council of WA have prepared information for the Youth Sector in WA. View the webpage here.
The Valuing Children Initiative is providing daily resources and tips from across the world of ideas for families who are home schooling. These resources can be found on the Valuing Children Initiative Facebook page.
HealthyWA has provided a dedicated page for health-related resources for Aboriginal people here.
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