The Community Aids and Equipment Program (CAEP) provides basic and essential assistive technology to people living in the community with a health, disability or age-related functional impairment of a long term or a permanent nature, who are financially disadvantaged, and are unable to access assistance from other programs such as, the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) or My Aged Care.

The CAEP is delivered by Health Service Providers (HSPs) within WA Health and disability service providers external to WA Health. The role of the external CAEP service providers is to review and assess referrals and prescriptions for assistive technology to determine eligibility based on program criteria and clinical need, and administer funding for the provision of appropriate assistive technology within an annual CAEP budget allocation.

Whilst the majority of CAEP clients are serviced by HSPs, clients with more complex disability needs and those requiring more specialised, less frequently prescribed assistive technology require access to a level of assessment and prescription generally unavailable through HSPs.

Through this Request, the Department of Health (DoH) is seeking to appoint service providers to deliver the requirements under two service categories: the CAEP Complex Needs Service category and CAEP Specialised Equipment Service category. 

The scope of the proposed contract will include the administration of funding  to provide access to assistive technology for CAEP eligible individuals with adherence to the general principles and processes outlined in the CAEP Manual and within an annual CAEP budget allocation.

Service providers under both categories of services will act as ‘gatekeepers’ of the CAEP program to ensure that the CAEP funds are used appropriately and equitably with adherence to the CAEP guidelines.