This kit is designed to provide organisations funded by the Department of Human Services (DHS) and Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (DEECD) with online information about service agreements. It contains information about:

• the standard service agreement terms and conditions
• funding, payments and price indexation
• specific DHS and DEECD policies
• other information useful when delivering services funded by DHS and DEECD.

Organisations are required to comply with the specific departmental policies contained in this kit and legislative requirements outlined in the terms and conditions of the service agreement.

The kit provides contact details and internet links to broader government policies.

The kit will be updated as required. It is recommended that organisations refer to the kit via the internet as required, to ensure the most up to date information is obtained.

The Department of Human Services covers the responsibilities of the Ministers for Health, Housing, Mental Health and Community Services.

It is the largest State Government department and employs more than 11,400 full time equivalent staff directly and over 80,000 Victorians indirectly, through the funding of hospitals, aged care, ambulances, local government and community services organisations. The department's 2009-10 budget is in excess of $14.72 billion, approximately 39 per cent of the total state budget.

The department is responsible for providing a broad range of improved health and health related services to all Victorians:

• public hospitals, community health centres and ambulance services
• aged care services, including residential and home and community care
• disability services
• family support, child protection and juvenile justice services
• secure, affordable and appropriate housing and support services for people experiencing, or are at risk of, homelessness
• concessions to low income groups to make essential services more affordable
• health promotion and prevention of illness, disability and distress, through education, regulation, early intervention and other services
• specialist community based and inpatient mental health services.

More than 70 per cent of the Department of Human Services (DHS) budget is used to fund organisations to deliver services to individuals and community groups in Victoria. The service agreement sets out key accountabilities for services to be delivered by the organisation and funding to be paid by DHS. The Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (DEECD) also has service agreements with funded organisations.

Similar to the service agreement, Statements of Priorities are the key accountability agreements between some Health Services and the Minister for Health.

Service agreement structure

The service agreement is made up of up to four schedules descibed below. From July 2009, the service agreement will be delivered online to funded organisations via secure logon to the Funded Agency Channel (https://fac.dhs.vic.gov.au/home.aspx).

Schedule 1

• Parties to the agreement (details of the funding department and funded organisation)
• Background information
• Agreement authorisation (name, position title and address of those officers authorised to enter into the service agreement)
• Standard terms and conditions of the service agreeemnt

Schedule 2

• Financial summary of funding to be paid for one financial year of the service agreement
• Payment schedule for one financial year of the service agreement

Organisations can view future year projected funding amounts for most funded activities in the Budget Build reports available via secure logon to Funded Agency Channel.

Schedule 3

• Services to be provided by the organisation, funding to be paid by the department, service performance measures and targets, and delivery catchments if applicable
• Any additional requirements relating to a specific service plan or activity
• Links to relevant service standards and guidelines for each funded activity
• Data collection requirements (for performance reporting and other data reporting)

Schedule 4

Optional schedule that enables the department and organisation to:

• document specific issues, concerns and actions about the relationship between the department and organisation, and
• document specific actions that the organisation and the department will undertake that relate to the overall service agreement.

Policy and funding plans provide comprehensive information about the services, policies, budget, funds allocation and future directions and are publised by the DHS Divisions responsible for government programs and by DEECD. The plans provide organisations with contextual information to support their service agreement.

The plans are published in line with the standard DHS three year service agreement cycle, and are updated each year to reflect the annual State Budget process and other changes relevant to funded organisations.

The three year plans provide:

• an overview of the Government's policy framework
• the department's objectives
• divisional strategic initiatives
• an overview of each division's budget
• service activities and performance measures
• a list of data collection requirements
• a list of service standards and guidelines.

The focus of the annual update is on new, growth and redistributed funding initiatives announced in the State Budget, plus any changes to the three year plan.

A Program and Service Adviser (PASA) is responsible for developing collaborative relationships with organisations, to facilitate local service planning, monitor performance and adherence to departmental policy and program guidelines and requirements. This includes managing the service agreement process.

A PASA may also be responsible for managing resources such as the budget, to support the service sector and networks to respond to the community in a planned and efficient manner.

Core functions of the PASA include:

• service agreement process
• policy implementation and funds allocation
• service monitoring
• relationship management
• service development and planning
• portfolio/project management
• leadership and management

Service agreement process

For the service agreement process, each organisation is assigned a PASA as primary contact, who is responsible for overseeing negotiations for the service agreement and all variation processes with an organisation.

Additional PASAs with service plan responsibility also liaise with the organisation on specific program issues, service development initiatives, and carry a responsibility within the service agreement process.

Monitoring framework for the health, housing and community service sectors

The purpose of the Monitoring Framework is to build a sustainable funded human services sector, by strengthening and monitoring accountability arrangements. The Monitoring Framework has been developed to address Ministerial and Auditor General concerns about the performance and viability of funded organisations and incorporates the philosophy of the partnership agreement.

In summary, the Monitoring Framework:

• specifies basic compliance and accountability for funded organisations
• uses risk management to determine the intensity of monitoring
• assesses organisations' governance and additional financial issues only if warranted
• includes action plans, if needed.

The three key elements of the Monitoring Framework are:

• core monitoring of organisations: maintaining legal status, collecting service agreement performance data, financial accountability reporting, incident reporting, complaints management, asset register, fire risk management
• a desktop review that provides for a preliminary assessment of an organisation’s performance, against a series of key risk factors
• a service review to be conducted only where the desktop review has identified high level of risk or issues of concern.

Guidelines have been developed to assist staff responsible for monitoring funded organisations. These guidelines provide background information, guiding principles, roles and responsibilities and details of how the Monitoring Framework will operate.

A booklet for organisations about the Monitoring Framework can be obtained from the Funded Agency Channel.

The Funded Agency Channel (FAC) (external link) is a website that supports the partnership relationship between the Department of Human Services (DHS), the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (DEECD) and more than 2150 organisations they fund.

FAC focuses its services on registered users from funded organisations and the department and their needs for secure and public data, information and online services. FAC aims to operate as a joint venture site and objectively balance the needs of both parties.

FAC provides quick and easy access to service agreement information, communication tools and business processes that enable organisations and the department to deliver on partnership initiatives.

FAC user groups are:

• organisation boards
• senior executives
• middle managers (including finance, human resources and administrative managers)
• unit and program managers with management / administrative responsibilities
• relevant departmental managers and staff in regional and divisional offices.

FAC provides funded organisations and Department of Human Services staff with access to:

• organisation specific service agreement information for the current, future and previous financial years
• e-remittance (payment) advice relating to the service agreement
• organisation performance reports for funded activities
• departmental policies, standards and guidelines
• relevant human services legislation
• department and broader human services news
• the CSO Info Portal and its fleet management, procurement, workforce and work health resources
• a range of business, government and human services websites.

New reports and information will continue to be added to FAC over time.

FAC also provides functionality for public or private discussion forums and links to online communities, to enable online consultation and discussion with the department and other organisations.

Registering with the Funded Agency Channel

Department of Human Services and funded organisation staff must register to access secure individual organisation information, discussion forums and online communities available via FAC.

The department encourages each funded organisation to appoint a 'FAC agency administrator' to coordinate and update user registrations. Organisation staff wanting to access the FAC should contact their FAC agency administrator.

Where a FAC agency administrator has not been appointed, or staff are unsure about who is performing the role, organisation staff can access the registration materials on FAC by:

• Typing in the website address https://fac.dhs.vic.gov.au (external link)
• Clicking on the 'Register' (external link) link on the front page of the website
• Downloading, completing and returning the 'Registration Form'.

User feedback and queries

Feedback, suggestions and queries from FAC users are welcomed and can be provided by email to fac@dhs.vic.gov.au (external link) or by telephoning the FAC Help Desk (03) 9096 2742.

1.7.1 Purpose

The purpose of the committee is to promote consultation and engagement between the department and the funded sector.

1.7.2 Background

The Human Service Partnership Implementation Committee (HSPIC) was formed in early 2004 and is co-chaired by Val Callister (Regional Director Gippsland) and Cath Smith (Executive Director VCOSS)

1.7.3 Terms of reference

• Strengthen DHS and sector partnering to achieve mutually effective and respectful relationships.
• Provide a forum for exchange of information about issues affecting the community sector as a whole.
• Auspice working parties and projects to further the aims of HSPIC.
• Coordinate bi-annual Secretary’s Partnerships Forums and convene sector wide Forums as agreed to address the strategic challenges of the community sector.

1.7.4 Membership list

2 Co-chairs

4 DHS members

9 Peaks and sector members

1.7.5 Primary contacts

HSPIC support and coordination
Victorian Council of Social Service (VCOSS)
Lauren Matthews
HSPIC Partnership Policy Officer
T: 9654 5050
E: lauren.matthews@vcoss.org.au

Department of Human Services
Carol Mayell
Manager, Partnerships
Regional Operations Branch
Operations Division
T: 9096 8420
E: carol.mayell@dhs.vic.gov.au 

1.7.6 Collaboration poster

Collaboration poster