Health Services We Fund

Disability Support Services

Disability Support Services are a range of support services for disabled people and their families and whanau and include things like:

home based support
equipment and housing or vehicle modifications
rehabilitation
disability information and advisory services
child development
family supports

Disability Support Services are available for clients who have a disability or long term illness greater than 6 months duration. They have the right to receive a comprehensive assessment of their needs in their own environment

The Needs Assessor will make referrals to service providers as appropriate and co-ordinate their services to meet client needs.

The following services are available for Needs Assessment and Service Co-ordination:

Birth to 64 years & People with Intellectual Disabilities
Taikura Trust
Ph: 09-278 6314 or Freephone 0800 835 4672

65 years and over
Needs Assessment and Service Co-ordination (NASC)
Ph: 09-276 0040 Fax: 09-270 0041

Funding

In 2001 the Government made a decision to split the planning and funding functions of Disability Support Services into two groups:

people aged 65 and older, and
younger people with disabilities.

People who are older generally experience disabilities due to the increasing complexity of their health needs.

Younger people with disabilities are more likely to have the same health needs as the rest of the population, but require greater linkages across sectors, such as housing, education, transport and vocational support.

Following this decision the Ministry of Health, Disability Services Directorate, devolved the funding of disability support services for people aged 65 and older (with some exceptions) to the District Health Boards, in October 2003.

Published: 26-Nov-2007 | Website enquiries: Web Content Manager