Active Service Model (ASM) and Diversity
Planning: 2015-2016
June 2015
The HACC Program is jointly funded by the Commonwealth and Victorian governments
Introduction
This bulletin provides HACC funded agencies with updated information about processes for the 2014-15 ASM
implementation plan and diversity plan reviews and 2015-2016 forward planning for ASM and diversity planning.
Aligning ASM and diversity planning timeframes
This year the Department of Health & Human Services (the department) is requiring agencies to review and plan
for both ASM and diversity at the same time, and to submit their plans to the department regional office by
September 12 2015.
The due date is later than usual because the department is preparing 2013-14 HACC target group population data
by LGA to be used by agencies as evidence for their 2015-16 diversity priorities. This data will be made available
by June 30.
In addition, agencies commented in the Diversity planning and practice implementation review consultations on the
benefits of collaborating with other agencies in their local catchment in order to get a better understanding of local
diversity issues and barriers to access. In response to this, the HACC Diversity Advisers will be holding diversity
planning sessions to assist agencies to interpret their local population based planning data, discuss barriers to
access with other local agencies and identify their priorities and actions based on this information. A new
population based planning worksheet has been developed to assist with this process.
The additional time will also enable agencies to interpret the findings from the ASM PREPARE Review to assist
with their planning process and align priorities to their local catchment area.
For these reasons the due date for the ASM implementation plan and the diversity plan has been extended to
September 12 2015.
ASM and diversity plan templates
In order to align and streamline the planning process, the ASM and diversity plans will follow the same structure.
The templates for ASM and diversity 2015-16 plans will be provided to all HACC agencies by June 30 along with
the population planning data.
The 2015-16 planning template will have two sections: Part A will be the diversity plan and Part B will be the ASM
implementation plan.
Integrating ASM and diversity planning and practice
Now that implementation of ASM and diversity planning and practice is well embedded within agencies, the
department has been discussing the relationship between these two initiatives, where they complement each other
and where there are points of difference.
Diversity planning focusses on the importance of the agency identifying groups or communities with diverse needs
or characteristics within their catchment area who:


may not be accessing HACC services at all
may only be accessing one type of HACC services (eg PAG)
ASM and Diversity planning 2015-2016
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
may register as a HACC client but drop out of the client pathway early on. For example following
assessment or shortly after receiving a service because the service(s) were not inclusive or responsive to
their needs.
Identifying these groups or individuals and developing strategies to address barriers or opportunities for better
access is the key focus of diversity planning and practice.
The focus of ASM is implementing person centred practice and wellness promotion for all HACC clients and
communities, including those with diverse needs; building people’s capacity to be as independent as they can for
as long as they can; and improving people’s social participation and connection to their community. The ASM
approach focusses on understanding the person’s individual needs and circumstances, their goals and aspirations,
then providing a responsive service in order to achieve those goals.
Understanding diversity planning and practice within the ASM approach is very important to ASM implementation.
When developing ASM plans, agencies might include priorities related to improving ASM practices for groups or
individuals with diverse needs. For example, making sure that initial needs identification or goal directed care
planning processes are culturally sensitive.
Diversity plans on the other hand focus on specific groups or communities who organisations have been
unsuccessful in engaging with; or who are not fully utilising HACC services; or who are not accessing HACC
services at all.
Diversity and ASM planning aligns with the Community Care Common Standards (CCCS) requirements. Agencies
should look at their CCCS improvement plans and reports to focus on improvement strategies to meet these
standards.
What next?
The key message for your planning processes is that there is relationship between the ASM and diversity
initiatives. From a planning perspective we would typically expect to see diversity priorities appearing in both the
diversity and the ASM plans. In this way the planning process recognises the interface between these two
initiatives and works to combine the planning process within your organisation.
Agencies can begin reviewing their 2014-2015 ASM implementation plans and diversity plans now.
This process will include discussion about who should be involved in the review process and in the forward
planning for 2015-16.
Attached to this bulletin is the 2014-2015 review template. This template is the same as the ASM review template
from previous years. We are now expecting agencies to use this template to review their 2014-15 ASM and
diversity plans.
Key dates for the 2015-16 ASM and diversity plans:
For further information contact the HACC Diversity Adviser or ASM Industry Consultant in your region, or talk to
your PASA.
Heather Russell
Manager HACC Service Development
Ageing and Aged Care Branch
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