Permanent residents, including refugee and humanitarian entrants, are eligible for the Carer Allowance if they meet the usual criteria. Centrelink has Multicultural Liaison Officers who can assist with completing forms (multilingual service phone 13 12 02). People who are asylum seekers are not eligible for the Carer Allowance.
CAREinMIND Mental Health Services
Refugees and asylum seekers, who may receive low/no income, are eligible for CAREinMIND’s free short-term psychological counselling services. Note that a Medicare card is not required. This makes the service useful for those asylum seekers who are ineligible for Medicare.
Australian College of Optometry (ACO)
Australian College of Optometry (ACO)also provide an extensive outreach program for people who have difficulty accessing traditional eye care services including people who are experiencing homelessness, refugees and asylum seekers, and people in supported residential services.
Dental Health Services Victoria
Dental Health Services Victoria is a public oral health agency in Victoria. The Victorian Government funds Dental Health Services Victoria to provide clinical dental services. All refugee and asylum seekers have free access to public dental services.
Genderqueer Australia Bridge Meals
Bridge Meals welcomes new migrants who are same sex attracted and/or gender diverse to join us for a free social dinner in a supportive and safe environment. This fantastic HEY Project grant initiative is a social support opportunity for LGBTIQ+ refugees and asylum seekers run by a collective of young LGBT people of colour in Melbourne.
Ballarat —Ballarat Community Health
The Ballarat Community Health refugee health nurse co-ordinates access to healthcare for newly-arrived refugees, migrants and asylum seekers, and assists them in working towards independence. Paediatric immigrant health clinic.
Swan Hill District Health — Swan Hill
Swan Hill District Health:
The Refugee Health Program works to meet the healthcare needs of refugees and asylum seekers living in the Swan Hill District. It is a free service. The Refugee Health Nurse will use an interpreter (as needed) to help you with your health care needs, and will refer you to other members of our health team as needed. This is a confidential service.
Royal Women’s Hospital and Monash Health
Asylum seekers and refugees are entitled to subsidised medical care except for a small co-payment for outpatient medications and medications on discharge. Patients will need to provide supporting documentation confirming migration status from the government or from a recognised asylum support agency such as Red Cross or IHMS before their first appointment. If the documentation is not produced, patients will be billed, however, the fees will be waived if the documents are shown to the hospital at a later date.
National Immunisation Program eligibility for refugees and humanitarian entrants
The Commonwealth guidance states that NIP vaccines are free for ‘refugees and humanitarian entrants of any age’.
National Immunisation Program eligibility for refugees and humanitarian entrants
The Commonwealth guidance states that NIP vaccines are free for ‘refugees and humanitarian entrants of any age’.