District Health Board assistance
For a District Health Board to provide assistance a Needs Assessment and Service Co-ordination Agency (NASC) assessment has to be completed to determine the needs of the client. The assessment outcome ranges from very low to very high and can assist you to determine if an Emergency Benefit is justified. Just because a person has been assessed as very low or low, does not mean the client is not eligible for Emergency Benefit. The client's full circumstances must be taken into account.
The ranges are:
Scale | Description |
Very low | Disabled person, family/whanau needs are minimal and the safety and wellbeing of both is not compromised |
Low | Although well supported the needs of the disabled person are increasing Significant changes in need mean the level of support required must be considered The disabled person is not achieving age appropriate milestones |
Medium | Opportunities and potential for development are limited or developed for example physical, cognitive, communication, behaviour Family/ whanau are stressed and are not being effectively supported The disabled person's disability is becoming more significant and the impact on the family/ whanau is constant The disabled person's behaviour means that there is a risk of isolation from their community |
High | Disabled person's developmental milestones are severely delayed Family/ whanau are unable to manage the disabled person's needs. These are likely to be either high medical or behavioural needs, or a combination Family's integrity is threatened |
Very high | Disabled person's family/ whanau is experiencing very high levels of stress Sustainability of the family is at risk The child is at risk of abuse There is a dramatic and unexpected change to the disabled person's disability status |
