The Support at Home Program & Music Therapy
If you or a family member receives in-home aged care support, you may be able to access music therapy at no out-of-pocket cost. Under the Support at Home program, music therapy is an allied health service and is fully funded by the Australian Government as a Clinical Support.
This page explains what the Support at Home program is, how music therapy fits within it, and how to get started.
What is the Support at Home Program?
The Support at Home program is the Australian Government's in-home aged care program. It replaced Home Care Packages on 1 November 2025 and introduced eight classification levels with quarterly budgets.
The program supports older Australians to remain living at home safely and independently, with access to a range of health, wellbeing, and daily living services. It is administered through My Aged Care, which is the national gateway for government-funded aged care services.
If you previously had a Home Care Package, you were automatically transitioned into Support at Home. You did not need to reapply or be reassessed.
How Does Support at Home Work?
Ongoing funding is split into four quarterly budgets, released in July, October, January, and April. There are eight classification levels, with annual funding ranging from approximately $11,000 (Level 1) to $78,000 (Level 8), based on your assessed care needs.
Services are divided into three categories:
1. Clinical Supports - fully funded by the government, no participant contribution required. This includes allied health services such as physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech pathology, and music therapy delivered by a Registered Music Therapist.
2. Independence Supports - moderate participant contributions apply, based on income and assets. This includes personal care, transport, and social support.
3. Everyday Living Supports - higher participant contributions apply. This includes domestic assistance, gardening, and meal preparation.
10% of each budget is deducted for care management. The remaining 90% goes toward your services.
From 1 July 2026, government-regulated price caps apply to all services, making pricing transparent and consistent across all providers.
Is Music Therapy Funded Under Support at Home?
Yes - and this is the most important thing to understand.
Allied health services are classified as clinical care under Support at Home and are fully funded by the government when clinically approved as part of your care plan. There is no participant contribution for these services.
Music therapy is an evidence-based allied health profession, delivered by a university-qualified Registered Music Therapist (RMT) registered with the Australian Music Therapy Association (AMTA). As an allied health service, music therapy sits within the Clinical Supports category under Support at Home.
This means:
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Music therapy sessions are fully funded by the Australian Government
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There is no out-of-pocket cost to you, regardless of your income or assets
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Music therapy funding is separate from your Everyday Living and Independence supports — accessing music therapy does not reduce the funds available for services like domestic assistance or personal care
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Clinical supports require no participant contribution — this applies whether you are a full pensioner, part pensioner, or self-funded retiree
Who is Eligible for Support at Home?
You may be eligible for the Support at Home program if you are:
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Aged 65 or older (or 50 or older for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people)
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An Australian resident
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Assessed as needing support to remain living at home safely and independently
Eligibility and classification are determined through an aged care assessment. To begin the process, contact My Aged Care online or call 1800 200 422.
If you are already receiving Support at Home funding, you can request to include music therapy in your care plan at any time — you do not need to wait for a reassessment.
What is the Restorative Care Pathway?
The Support at Home program includes a short-term Restorative Care Pathway, designed to help older adults regain strength, function, and independence after a health event.
The Restorative Care Pathway is short-term care to help you regain function and stay independent through accessing coordinated allied health and nursing services. It provides up to 12 weeks of intensive allied health support, with a possible 4-week extension following reassessment.
Funding of approximately $6,000 is available for six weeks, increasing to around $12,000 once eligible. This funding is in addition to your ongoing Support at Home classification budget.
Music therapy is well suited to the Restorative Care Pathway, particularly for:
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Post-stroke rehabilitation — using Neurologic Music Therapy (NMT) techniques to support speech and movement recovery
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Recovery after hospitalisation — supporting mood, motivation, and physical activity
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Parkinson's disease — rhythmic auditory stimulation for gait and coordination
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Adjustment and emotional wellbeing following a significant health event
If you think the Restorative Care Pathway may apply to you or a family member, speak with your care manager or contact My Aged Care.
What Has Changed from Home Care Packages?
If you previously received a Home Care Package, here is what has changed and what it means for accessing music therapy:
Under the old Home Care Package system:
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Music therapy had to compete with all other services for a share of a general package budget
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An income-tested care fee applied across the whole package
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Package management fees of up to 30–40% reduced the funds available for actual services
Under Support at Home:
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Music therapy is a fully funded Clinical Support — it does not compete with your other services
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There is no income-tested fee for Clinical Supports — you pay nothing regardless of your financial situation
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Care management is capped at 10% of your quarterly budget
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From 1 July 2026, all-inclusive price caps mean no hidden fees or add-on charges
For many older adults - particularly self-funded retirees who previously paid significant fees - this is a substantial improvement in access to allied health services.
What About the Commonwealth Home Support Programme?
The Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP) will transition to Support at Home no earlier than 1 July 2027. If you currently receive entry-level supports through CHSP, those arrangements continue under your existing provider for now.
If you are unsure which program you are on, contact My Aged Care or ask your provider.
How to Access Music Therapy Through Support at Home
Step 1: Confirm your Support at Home classification. If you are not yet receiving Support at Home funding, contact My Aged Care or call 1800 200 422 to request an assessment.
Step 2: Speak with your care manager. Ask your care manager to include music therapy in your support plan as a Clinical Support. You might say:
"I'd like to include music therapy with a Registered Music Therapist in my care plan. It is an allied health service and I understand it is fully funded as a Clinical Support under Support at Home. Can you help me arrange this?"
Step 3: Contact Resonance Music Therapy. Call 0498 467 379 or use the contact form. I am happy to speak directly with your care manager or provider to help arrange sessions and provide a quote.
Step 4: Initial session. We arrange an initial 60-minute session and develop a music therapy plan based on your goals, preferences, and care needs.
About Resonance Music Therapy
Resonance Music Therapy is a mobile music therapy practice based in Sydney's Eastern Suburbs, run by Barak Dar-El, a Registered Music Therapist (RMT) registered with the Australian Music Therapy Association (AMTA).
Barak holds a Bachelor of Music Performance from the Australian Institute of Music and a Master of Music Therapy from the University of Melbourne, and has additional training in Neurologic Music Therapy (NMT).
Sessions are provided in your home, retirement village, or aged care facility across Sydney's Eastern Suburbs. Music therapy is available for older adults receiving support through the Support at Home program, NDIS participants, and private clients.
Get in touch → | Call 0498 467 379.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a referral to access music therapy? No. You can contact Resonance Music Therapy directly. I will then liaise with your care manager or provider to arrange funding and sessions.
Do I need any musical experience or ability? No. Music therapy does not require any musical background. Sessions are tailored to your preferences, history, and goals.
Where do sessions take place? Sessions are mobile - I come to you. I provide music therapy in homes, retirement villages, and aged care facilities across Sydney's Eastern Suburbs.
How often are sessions? Most clients begin with weekly sessions. Frequency can be adjusted based on your goals, energy, and funding.
Can family members or carers attend? Yes. Family members and carers are welcome to participate or observe, and their involvement can be a valuable part of the therapeutic process.
What if the price caps haven't been published yet? The government-set price caps for Support at Home services take effect from 1 July 2026. Until then, please contact me to discuss current pricing. Once caps are published, the rate will appear on the Fees page.