The Ministry of Health funds a range of Disability Support Services to assist those living with a disability.  Access to most Ministry of Health funded supports is via the Needs Assessment and Service Coordination agency (NASC).  In Auckland the NASC is Taikura Trust.  Anyone with a disability living in Auckland, under the age of 65yrs can self-refer to Taikura Trust for a free Needs Assessment whereby their eligibility for MOH funded supports is assessed and appropriate services may be co-ordinated.   Sometimes a GP or Paediatrician will refer the family to Taikura Trust.

The Taikura Trust website is http://www.taikura.org.nz/  or phone 278-6314.  Referral forms are available on their website.

Some examples of MOH funded Disability Support Services include:

• Carer Support Subsidy
• Respite Care (can now be accessed via Individualised Funding once entitled to this funding)
• Home & Community Support Services (ie: Household Management and Personal Cares) Individualised Funding may be applicable to these two supports
• Behaviour Management
• Community Residential Support
• Supported Independent Living
• Equipment and Modification Services

The Ministry of Health and Taikura Trust use the following NZ Government definition of disability:

“A person with a disability is a person who has been identified as having a physical, psychiatric, intellectual, sensory, or age-related disability (or a combination of these), which is likely to continue for a minimum of six months and result in the reduction of independent function to the extent that ongoing support is required”.

NB: In order to access these funded supports the person with a disability must meet the NZ definition of disability and also meet eligibility criteria for those supports.  Further information re eligibility is available from Taikura Trust.