Contents
Disability Allowance : Contents

Additional counselling sessions

Disability Allowance can be paid for the cost of additional counselling sessions if the client has attended 10 counselling sessions and:

  • their medical practitioner or nurse practitioner has indicated that further counselling is still necessary, beneficial and of therapeutic value to the client because of the stated disability or
  • the counsellor has recommended further visits

Assistance for up to 20 additional sessions can be considered on the recommendation of the client's medical practitioner or nurse practitioner.

More than 30 sessions

If a client is assessed as needing further sessions after they have reached the limit of 30 counselling sessions, they will need to provide supporting evidence from their medical practitioner or nurse practitioner that the counselling is directly related to their disability and is still necessary and beneficial to their disability.

Further sessions beyond 30 can only be paid if there are exceptional circumstances.

When a client reaches the limit of 30 counselling sessions, MSD should seek advice from the Regional Health Advisor or Regional Disability Advisor before approving assistance for further counselling sessions.

The Regional Health Advisor or Regional Disability Advisor will consider if exceptional circumstances exist, and if the client is getting the most appropriate type of counselling.

The Regional Health Advisor or Regional Disability Advisor may consider that the client is receiving psychological therapy rather than counselling. In these cases, the client may not qualify for more counselling sessions as they are not getting counselling but may still qualify for Disability Allowance as they are seeing a psychologist.

The Regional Health Advisor or Regional Disability Advisor may also be aware of other Health New Zealand - Te Whatu Ora provided services available.

For more information see:

Counselling
Proof of counselling costs
Calculating rate and expiry date

Legislation

  • Interpretation of clauses 5C to 5D clauses 5B to 5D Ministerial Direction - Disability Allowance
  • Disability allowance: general justification clause 6 Ministerial Direction - Disability Allowance
  • Disability allowance: discretionary grant section 85 Social Security Act 2018
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A medical practitioner is commonly referred to as a doctor. Medical practitioners are health practitioners who are registered with the Medical Council of New Zealand as practitioners of the profession of medicine and hold a current practising certificate.

All medical practitioners have a unique identifying number called a Health Practitioners Index number (HPI number).

Medical practitioners don't need to have completed their training in New Zealand but must be registered with the New Zealand ...

Nurse practitioners are health practitioners who are registered with the Nursing Council of New Zealand and hold a current annual practising certificate.

Nurse practitioners are expert or specialist nurses with advanced education, clinical training and experience. They have demonstrated clinical competence and have the legal authority to practice as independent healthcare providers.

All nurse practitioners have a unique identifying number called a Health Practitioners Index number (HPI number).

Some nurse practitioners have specialised ...

A psychologist is a health practitioner who is registered under the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003 and with the New Zealand Psychologists Board. Psychologists are concerned with the study of behaviour.

Psychologists must be listed on the New Zealand Psychologists Board's Register and hold a current practising certificate.

Psychology is a broad field of practice and research which applies psychological principles to: