Farm Household Case Officer (FHCO) cases 002-02070030

The FHCO role is to help customers after FHA has been granted. A customer can receive FHA for 4 years (1,460 days) in specified 10 year periods. The next 10 year period commences on 1 July 2024. The FHCO conducts reviews every 13 weeks whilst the customer is on payment. Customers who have already received 4 years of FHA can reapply from 1 July 2024.

FHCOs assist customers by:

• providing a dedicated case management service
• developing and maintaining relationships with Rural Financial Counselling Service (RFCS)
• making appropriate and timely referrals to help improve their circumstances
• making sure FHA is only accessed in times of genuine need
• developing Financial Improvement Agreements (FIAs) in consultation with the customer and where possible RFCS
• ensuring that FIAs adhere to these principles and that customers take action in accordance with their FIA to maintain qualification for FHA
• imposing compliance failures by suspending payment of FHA
• actioning day 1-3 contacts following lodgement of FHA new claims to:
• offer a referral to the RFCS
• if the partner is also claiming or required to lodge a separate claim

The FHCO's initial contact with the customer is at day 1-3 after the claim has been lodged.

The FHCO will:

• confirm if the claim is or is not a combined partner claim
• discuss myGov access
• discuss electronic messaging
• advise of mutual obligations
• discuss the importance of lodging requested documentation as soon as possible
• offer a referral to the Rural Financial Counselling Service (RFCS). If the customer consents they will arrange for the RFCS to contact the customer

FHCOs do not manage the processing of the claim. If FHCOs cannot answer question(s) the customer has from the progress of claim DOC, they can transfer the customer to the Farmer Assistance Line or give them the phone number for future reference.

Case management by FHCOs starts when FHA is granted. Do not give contact details of the FHCOs until FHA is granted.

When the claim is granted, the allocated FHCO contacts the customer to:

• introduce themselves
• explain their role
• outline the requirements of the program

The FHCO sends a request to the customer to complete the Farm Financial Assessment (FFA). When this is completed, the FHCO will:

• Negotiate a Financial Improvement Agreement (FIA) with the customer. The FIA is based on information and assessment in the FFA. The customers may consent to have their Rural Financial Counsellor (RFC) attend this meeting and subsequent review meetings
• Meet with the customer to review the FIA at least every 13 weeks (or more often if required) to check the customer’s progress with their mandatory activities and review the current estimate

For enquiries about their FFA or FIA, customers should call the FHCO directly. If the customer does not have their FHCO's contact details, contact the FHCO by:

• obtaining their contact details in Office Locator
• email
• MS Teams

Note: do not send ACTDOCs and CALLDOCs to the FHCO network, they will not be actioned.

When FHA is granted, the customer is assigned an FHCO. The FHCOs name will display on the Farm Customer Summary (FCS) screen in Process Direct on the customer's record.

The FHCO will be located in the same zone as the customer, where possible. Staff workload may mean allocation to an FHCO in another location.

FHA cases are assigned by:

• FHCO
• FHCO's line manager

The Australian Government funds RFCS to provide free, independent and confidential assistance to eligible farmers to help them better understand their financial situation. There are several services located in each state.

They offer a range of services and information to help their clients assess their business finances and plan for the future. They help farmer's access government and industry programs as well as helping with short-term issues like negotiating loans, debt mediation and succession planning.

The RFCS help their clients manage and cope with stress by helping them access professional services. A person does not need to be receiving FHA to be offered a referral and access the services of the RFCS. The RFCS also help people prepare and lodge claims for FHA.

Services Australia customers may consent to have their Rural Financial Counsellor (RFC) attend meetings with them and their FHCO. This makes sure the customer gets support from both services while they work to improve their financial situation.

The RFC may be able to complete or help the customer with the lodgement of their FFA. The financial assessor completing the FFA must have appropriate qualifications or experience. The FFA supplement is not available for payment to an RFC if they conduct the FFA because the RFCS is a free service. For more information, see Farm Financial Assessments (FFA).

A customer must provide express consent for the agency to disclose their personal information to the RFCS and for them to attend meetings with the FHCO. Person Permitted to Enquire (PPE) is a minimum requirement for sharing information from the FFA and Financial Improvement Agreements (FIA).

If the customer requests the RFCS to complete the FFA, implied authority is applied to the RFCS accessing the customer's personal information for the purpose of completing the FFA only.

The RFC may offer suggestions for activities to be included in the customer’s FIA. They do not:

• agree, authorise, and approve any activities in the FIA
• undertake the activity test, or
• approve payment of the Activity Supplement