Needs assessment services

If you are disabled or someone you care for is disabled and you are looking for support, there are several ways you can get support from Disability Support Services.

A good place to start is to contact one of our Needs Assessment and Service Coordination (NASC) provider to gain an understanding of Disability Support Services (DSS) funded support services.

You will also find information on funded supports and services by visiting our Supports and Services page.

What is a Needs Assessment?

The purpose of a Needs Assessment is to learn more about you and to determine eligibility. This means gaining an understanding of your preferences, what your goals are, what your desired life looks like and the support you might need to live that life now and in the future.

Once the NASC has done the Needs Assessment, they will discuss with you support options that you might be eligible for.

They will discuss options funded by Disability Support Services and non-funded options or supports which may be found in the community or funded by other ministries.

Eligibility

You do need to be eligible for disability support services and have documents (such as a copy of your diagnostic report) showing your eligibility when making a referral to a NASC organisation.

Eligible means you meet a specific set of disability criteria. To find out if you would be eligible, please visit our how to access support page.

How do you make a referral?

Anyone can make a referral to a NASC, including the disabled person themselves, a family/whānau member they trust, a friend, or a trusted health professional. Referral means to direct another person to an organisation or professional, in this case to gain support.

Referrals can be over the phone, by email and for some NASCs, they have an online clinical portal for healthcare professionals as well.

The disabled person or their whānau needs to consent to the referral. Consent means that you agree to allow someone to do the referral for you.

There are NASCs throughout New Zealand, so contact the one closest to you. All are very knowledgeable about what support is available and how Ministry funding is accessed which they will discuss with you.

What can you expect?

When you contact the NASC, they will ask you questions which will help them to understand how to best advise you on the supports that may be available to you.

If eligible, they will organise for you to have a Needs Assessment, which can take place virtually online, on the phone, or in your home or a place you choose, depending on your circumstances.

This is the beginning of the Needs Assessment process which is a term you may have heard about. If they think this is needed, they will set up a time to come and meet with you at your home.

Your choice

It’s important to understand that you get to decide on your chosen support/s and/or a service provider that best suits your needs.

Your NASC will make referrals to the relevant providers, so that you can start receiving these supports. You will receive from them, in writing, what services have been put in place.

If you've chosen a provider, they will then contact you to discuss a start date and what your preference for support staff might be.

At your Needs Assessment, be open and talk about whatever you want to talk about regarding your life and the support you think you might need.