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Published 28 January 2025

Starting 10 February, Disability Support Services will open a  community consultation running through to 24 March 2025. They want your feedback on assessments and funding options for equipment and services.

What’s up for discussion?

They're looking for feedback on making assessment and allocation processes clearer: They want to make it easier to understand how decisions are made about who gets support and what services they can access.

  • Not sure when you get an assessment done? If you think you or someone you care for needs extra support, you can get an assessment done by a Needs Assessment and Service Coordination (NASC) organisation. These organisations work on behalf of Disability Support Services (DSS) and assess your needs to determine what services you qualify for. Some people may also be assessed through an Enabling Good Lives (EGL) site, which offers a different way of planning and funding support, giving individuals more choice and control.

They're also keen to hear your thoughts on potential changes to flexible funding options: Flexible funding helps people with disabilities get the support they need in a way that works for them. DSS are looking for feedback on ideas for how flexible funding could be accessed and used. They have two options for how these changes might look:

    1. Your flexible funding would be linked to a personal plan while making it easier to see how the money is spent and what it helps achieve.   
    2. Purchasing rules and guidelines would be updated in how it can or can't be spent.

Who Can Join the Conversation?

While anyone can share their thoughts, DSS is especially keen to hear from:

  • People who are currently receiving disability support services
  • Whānau, carers, and advocates

How to take part?

You can join either in-person or online sessions—whatever works best for you. The insights you share will build on last year’s survey results and help guide decisions to stabilise and strengthen disability support services moving forward.

For details on consultation dates, locations, and how to participate, visit the DSS website: www.disabilitysupport.govt.nz/consultation (external link)  

Next steps for DSS

By sharing your feedback, you'll be helping the Government make important decisions to ensure disability support services are stable and well-supported, before any future changes are made to strengthen them even more. These decisions will be based on the findings from Recommendations 5 and 6 of the Independent Review.

Background about DSS

Last year in October Disability Support Services took over from Whaikaha on behalf of Ministry of Social Development as part of the Government's independent Review . Just before Christmas, Disability Support Services (DSS) asked you to share your thoughts through a survey.

They wanted to understand what’s most important to our disabled community, whānau, carers, and advocates. DSS shared the key findings from that survey and now they're ready to take the next step—building on what they’ve learned and diving deeper into how disability support services can be improved.

www.disabilitysupport.govt.nz