If you would like to flag any gaps or issues affecting your organisation, or any services that require increased funding to meet an immediate need in the COVID-19 response, please get in touch with ACTCOSS through our general email address [email protected] or someone from the team.

ACTCOSS have been advocating on behalf of community organisations during this COVID-19 pandemic period through actions including:

• Media release and continued advocacy calling for flexibility on contract requirements for our sector from all ACT Government Directorates, specifically to:
  • Delay or relax reporting obligations
  • Suspend KPIs and outcomes to allow for adaptation to new conditions
  • Remove penalties for non-compliance with contracts arising from the COVID-19 emergency
  • Allow flexibility in how funds are used to support our community safely during COVID-19
  • Freeze government reform and new tendering processes
    
    
• Letter to the ACT Minister for Housing and the ACT Attorney-General on a temporary stop to evictions during this COVID-19 period
  
  
• Letter to the ACT Minister for Health, President of the ACT Human Rights Council, ACT Chief Medical Officer, Head of Canberra Health Service, and the Director-General for the Health Directorate on protecting the human rights of vulnerable groups in clinical settings during COVID-19. Specifically, that an ethical framework for clinical decision making is developed, and in ensuring these vulnerable groups are included in any decision-making body that develops the framework
  
  
• Email to Minister Orr:
  • Highlighting gaps and opportunities for community sector intervention in the immediate response
  • Calling for establishment of a hotline for isolated people requiring emergency food and other relief
  • To include community services in any list of ‘essential services’ in case of a full shutdown
    
    
• Engaging with the ACT Discrimination, Health Services & Disability and Community Services Commissioner to raise key issues, including:
  • Preventing discrimination in the healthcare sector in critical care decisions
  • Ensuring disability organisations are properly equipped and resourced, and people with disability are supported and protected
  • Supporting families who are engaged with ACT Child and Youth Protection Services.

ACTCOSS Member Teleconference – COVID-19

Join our twice weekly member calls to shape our advocacy and for more information on our work.

Please feel free to join each call, or just when you have an issue.

Times of the calls are:

• Tuesdays 9.30am-10.30am
• Fridays 9.30am-10.30am

We will be using Zoom, which can be accessed via your web browser or phone:

• Meeting ID: 416 280 510
• Meeting link: https://zoom.us/j/416280510
  
• Meeting phone number: +61 2 8015 6011

• ACOSS response to 6-month supplement extension to students

• Letter from ACT Minister of Health (pdf) to ACT community sector organisations funded by the Health Directorate on changes to contract conditions due to COVID-19

• Aged Care Providers to email Federal Health to order Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
  

• New online Personal Safety module for Aged Care Workers during COVID-19
  

Service changes:

• Care Financial Counselling and Consumer Law Centre providing phone support during COVID-19
  

• Toora Women Domestic Violence, Homelessness, and Counselling support now through phone or video conferencing
  

• [email protected] COVID-19 service changes
  

• Community Services #1 (CS#1) COVID-19 service changes
  

• Woden Community Service COVID-19 service changes
  

• Australian Government Fact Sheet – Cash Flow Assistance for Businesses (pdf)
  
• Australian Government Fact Sheet – Income Support for Individuals (pdf)
  
• COVID-19 Multilingual Resource Library
  

• Issue 1 – Monday 23 March 2020