Participant Support Procedures > Vulnerable Persons Procedures
Authorised by Chief Executive Officer
Revised Date: 11 February 2020
The Victorian Department of Health and Human Services’ Emergency Management Branch holds a register of people across the state who would be unable to self-evacuate in the event they were required to do so.
Kyeema is a partner organisation in identifying vulnerable persons and keeping the Vulnerable Persons Register up to date twice a year as required.
For the purposes of the DHHS Policy a vulnerable person is defined as someone living in the community who is:
• frail, and/or physically or cognitively impaired; and
• unable to comprehend warnings and directions and/or respond in an emergency situation
The Vulnerable Persons Verification process
The Vulnerable Persons Register (VPR) verification process is instigated by DHHS twice a year, in April and October.
Kyeema’s responsibility is to check that the client information on the VPR is accurate and confirmed.
To make sure information in the VPR is accurate to support emergency planning and response, agencies are asked to undertake a verification process, which requires client records being confirmed or updated within 30 days.
The re-verification process is as follows:
1. All client records will automatically change to ‘REVALIDATE’ status.
2. As client records are updated they will automatically be returned to ‘VERIFIED’ status.
3. After 30 days, client records which have not been updated or confirmed will automatically change to UNVALIDATED’ status.
Steps to verify a client record
At the times of year re-verification is required all client records in the VPR will change to ‘REVALIDATE’ status. To verify the record, agencies designated as the primary agency are asked to review client information, update the client record where necessary and then click ‘verify’.
It is important to consider the following questions before verifying client records:
1. Is the client still living at home and at an address situated in a high Bushfire risk area within a Country Fire Authority district?
2. Does your client still fit the definition of vulnerable as outlined in the Vulnerable people in emergencies policy https://providers.dhhs.vic.gov.au/emergency-preparedness?
3. Do they continue to provide consent to remain on the register?
4. Do they have a network that can support them to leave early or evacuate should an evacuation advice be issued?
If you answered Yes to question 1, 2 and 3 and your client is unable to self-evacuate or arrange informal support before or during an emergency then update their contact details and specific circumstances before clicking ‘verify’.
Removing a client record from the VPR
Only primary agencies have the capability to add, modify or remove client records from the register. Client records that no longer require to be on the register should be removed. When removing a client record, a dialog box will prompt you to provide a reason for removing the record.
If a client on your agency profile has transferred their services to another agency but still needs to be included on the register, the new agency must be contacted to arrange for them to add the client record to their agency profile as a secondary agency before removing the client record from your agency profile.
If a client is no longer receiving any services but still need to remain on the register, the VPR Coordinator at the relevant local council should be contacted to discuss the options.
Please DO NOT remove the client without making attempts to attach them to another agency or contacting the relevant VPR Coordinator.
If your agency has NO primary clients, you will be prompted to verify that you have no clients to add. This is a good opportunity to assess if your agency still requires access to the VPR. If your agency no longer exists, has changed its name, merged with another organisation or not likely to be providing services to people eligible for inclusion on the VPR, then you should consider deactivating your agency profile.
In addition to the two re-verification processes in April and October each year, agencies are asked to regularly maintain client records on the VPR, particularly if there have been changes to the client’s situation.
Related Policies, Procedures and Documents:
Vulnerable people in emergencies DHHS policy https://providers.dhhs.vic.gov.au/emergency-preparedness