ACT Government gives 'one-off boost' to more than 20 community health organisations

The funding is not on-going and the government has not detailed how much each organisation will receive.

The organisations to receive money range from Asthma ACT to Companion House to Palliative Care ACT.

It's understood Kidsafe's share may be around $60,000.

Another $350,000 has been allocated to "ensure continuity of gym services at the Chifley Health and Wellbeing Centre", which has been closed since March, much to the community's dismay.

The funding lifeline was announced on Friday morning, a month out from the June 25 budget and a day after Independent ACT Senator David Pocock wrote to Chief Minister Andrew Barr, urging him to "consider favourably" Kidsafe ACT's pleas for more funding or else it could face closure.

Senator Pocock told The Canberra Times on Thursday that he had been pushing both levels of government to give more money to the community service sector.

"Kidsafe is one of many underfunded community service providers that are vital to some of the most vulnerable people in our community. I've been pushing both levels of government to take action and provide the funding needed to keep these life-saving organisations alive," he said.

It is the second time Senator Pocock has been asked to intervene in Territory-level matters in as many months, also brokering a meeting between Vinnies and staff of The Green Shed in March.

The funding package comes as the ACT government, in an election year, was feeling the heat of not heeding the concerns of organisations such as Kidsafe, which had met with ACT Health officials as long ago as March and wanted some certainty before even the budget was handed down by Mr Barr, who is also treasurer.

Kidsafe had been seeking an increase in recurrent annual funding from the government from just under $200,000 to $400,000 to keep its existing programs and to pay staff adequately.

It will be one of more than 20 groups to share in the surprise $1.65 million funding announced on Friday.

A statement on Friday from Health Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith said the $1.65 million would "provide a one-off boost to community organisations that are facing financial pressures due to increased costs or service demand".

She said community organisations "play a key role in supporting the health and wellbeing of the Canberra community".

"We know many organisations that support Canberrans are facing cost pressures and seeing growing demand for their services. This funding boost recognises these challenges and will support the ongoing delivery of vital services over the next year," Ms Stephen-Smith said.

"The ACT Government has been working with a range of organisations to better understand their individual circumstances and concerns over the past few months. This one-off funding will meet their immediate needs as we continue to engage with the wider sector on the findings of previous reports and recommendations."

Organisations receiving funding include:

. Arthritis ACT

. Asthma ACT

. Australian Breastfeeding organisation

. Capital Region Cancer Relief

. Companion House

. Diabetes Australia

. Directions Health Care

. Epilepsy ACT

. Gugan Gulwan Youth Aboriginal Corporation

. Haemophilia Foundation

. Interchange Health Co-op

. KidSafe ACT

. MSI Australia

. Palliative Care ACT

. RSI Overuse Foundation

. Women's Health Matters

This package also includes more funding for the Community Assistance and Temporary Supports (CATS) Program, which provides support for people experiencing difficulties with daily living due to a short-term health issue, illness or injury.

Organisations included in funding for CATS include:

. ADACAS

. Anglicare

. Capital Region Community Services

. Carers ACT

. Community Services #1

. Life without Barriers

. Northside Community Services

In addition, $350,000 has been allocated to ensure continuity of gym services at the Chifley Health and Wellbeing Centre. Since the gym closed in April, the ACT Government has been "working to find a new service provider to ensure the ongoing delivery of this valued service".

"The Government is in discussions with the preferred providers and expects to announce a new service provider shortly," the statement read.

"This funding allocation will ensure the new provider can get on with re-establishing the service as quickly as possible.

"The ACT Government continues to invest in commissioning processes across health and community services sectors to better understand community needs, as well as the costs involved in delivering services to the community and the cost pressures experienced by the NGO sector in the ACT.

"The Government remains committed to working with the community sector and consumers to ensure services are commissioned in a way that meets the needs of our community and delivers a sustainable outcome," Ms Stephen-Smith said.