How to access support

Check if you are eligible for Disability Support Services-funded support

There are eligibility criteria for Disability Support Services. The following information can help you understand what you would be entitled to and how to start the process.

Disability Support Services-funded disability support services are available to people who have a physical, intellectual or sensory disability (or a combination of these) which:

• is likely to continue for at least six months
• needs ongoing support to live independently, to the extent that ongoing support is required.

These services are mainly for people under the age of 65 years.

Disability Support Services will also fund disability support services for people with:

• some neurological conditions that result in permanent disabilities
• some developmental disabilities in children and young people, such as Autism
• physical, intellectual or sensory disability that co-exists with a health condition and/or injury.

The first place you need to go to is your local Needs Assessment and Service Coordination (NASC) provider.  They will be able to confirm if you meet eligibility criteria and some of them will provide you with a referral form. The process differs slightly from region to region however this first phone call is the start of the process.

Who else offers support?

If you are not eligible for Disability Support Service funding, there may be other agencies that can help.

Disability support services for people with mental health needs or age-related needs are generally funded by the Ministry of Health external.

Disability support services for people with impairments such as paraplegia and brain injury caused by accident or injury are generally funded by ACC. Find out more about what they fund at ACC - What we cover external.

Work and Income offers a range of income support assistance and health and disability related benefits. Find out what they fund on the Work and Income website external. 

We can also direct you to other support services which you can access yourself. These can be found on our Disability Information and Advisory Services and other helpful services section of our site.

Get a needs assessment

Needs assessments are the first step in the eligibility process and are available if you meet the Disability Support Service eligibility criteria. A needs assessment looks at your abilities, resources, goals and needs and is completed by a Needs Assessment and Service Coordination (NASC) provider.

The role of a NASC is to work with disabled people and their family, whānau or carers to:

• identify strengths and support needs
• outline what disability support services are available
• determine eligibility for DSS funded support services
• maximise independence so that you can live the life you want
• make sure that the support and services allocated are fair and fit within the criteria.

Please note: If you live in Mid Central, Waikato or Christchurch, there are EGL sites near you. It's worth visiting the Enabling Good Lives Sites external page of the National EGL website to understand a bit more about each of them. They operate slightly differently from each other and from a NASC in that they do not do needs assessments.

How to get started

The first thing to do is identify a Needs Assessment Service Coordination provider (NASC) local to you who can have an over the phone consultation with you regarding your potential eligibility. You can call them yourself or, another person or organisation can make the call for you, as long as they have your agreement. This could even be your GP if you are more comfortable with them making that first step for you.

Once the NASC has heard from you, they will review your eligibility for funded disability support services. They’ll make an appointment with you and any family, whānau, aiga or carer you would like to have with you. Please note there is usually a waitlist for in person appointments. 

If you don’t meet the eligibility criteria for funded disability support services, then the NASC will work with you to find other services that may be able to assist.

• Find a Needs Assessment and Service Coordination provider near you to start the process.

Other helpful services

We have tried to provide a list of organisations to support you and provide a range of information and supports.

• Find other helpful services