Fachsia Funding
FaCHSIA is a funding scheme that has been allocated by the federal government, for early intervention services for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), or Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD). Provided your child is aged 0-7yrs, and has not started full time compulsory schooling, you are eligible to access the funding. Families who are eligible can spend up to $6000 per financial year (up to a total of $12000) on early intervention for the affected child.
What does this mean for me?
Provided your health service is registered with FaCHSIA, all services provided will be paid for via your FaCHSIA funding. This means that accessing early interevention services for your child will cost you nothing, up to the $6000 threshold per financial year. Once the $6000 limit is reached, you will need to start paying your health service provider as usual. FaCHSIA funding can be used to access more than one health service.
For example, you can use your funding to access both Speech Pathology and Occupational Therapy. FaCHSIA funding cannot be used for:
- Subsidising the gap in a Medicare funded service.
- Paying for cancelled or missed appointments.
When is my child no longer eligible?
Children may access funding up until the day that they turn 6yrs old. Children may be eligible up until the age of 7yrs if they have not yet started full time school.
If you use up the $12000 of allocated funding, regardless of the child’s age, you are no longer eligible to access FaCHSIA funding.
What happens if my child is no longer eligible?
Your child may still be able to access other subsidised services through the Helping Children with Autism package, but will no longer be able to receive FaCHSIA funding.
See the Autism Initiative page for more information.
Can I access my FaCHSIA funding at Chatterbox?
Yes! Chatterbox is registered to provide FaCHSIA services through Connect Child and Family Services.
Where can I access further information?
Further information can be accessed through FaCHSIA – Helping Children with Autism Website.
The Department of Health and Ageing also has a site dedicated to Helping Children with Autism, which covers FaCHSIA funding and the Autism Initiative through medicare.