If you have experienced sexual abuse or assault, ACC’s Sensitive Claims Service can provide fully funded support, therapy and assessment.
You do not need to have a physical injury or have reported what happened to Police to access support. You can begin by talking with an approved Sensitive Claims provider, who can explain your options and help you decide what feels right for you.
You do not need to tell your whole story at your first appointment. Support should move at a pace that is safe and appropriate for you.
Who can access support
ACC Sensitive Claims support is available for people who have experienced sexual abuse or assault covered by New Zealand’s accident compensation legislation.
If the sexual abuse or assault happened outside New Zealand, different eligibility requirements can apply. These can depend on your circumstances and your connection with New Zealand at the relevant time.
You do not need to work this out yourself before contacting a provider. A Sensitive Claims provider can help you understand the process, and ACC makes the final decision about eligibility and cover.
Getting started
Your first step is usually meeting with a sensitive claims provider. This gives you an opportunity to ask questions, understand how the service works and talk about what support you may need.
ACC provides:
- Getting Started: up to 2 hours for initial appointments, discussing eligibility and consent, exploring your needs and completing the Engagement Form.
- Early Supports: up to 4 hours for your Lead Service Provider to spend with you gathering the information needed to understand your support needs, plus up to 2 hours to prepare your Early Supports Plan.
These are allocations of time rather than a fixed number of counselling sessions. Your provider can explain how the available time may be used in your particular circumstances.
If more time is needed before ACC can make a cover decision, there is a process for extending the timeframe with your consent.
How ACC decides cover
There are two main pathways. Your provider should discuss which pathway is appropriate for you and explain what will be involved.
Cover and Wellbeing Plan
For some people, their Lead Service Provider can prepare a Cover and Wellbeing Plan. This may allow ACC to make a cover decision without you having to attend a separate assessment with another specialist.
Your provider has time available to meet with you, gather the necessary information and feedback, and prepare the plan for ACC.
Specialist Cover Assessment
For some people, a Specialist Cover Assessment is needed. This is completed by an appropriately qualified assessment provider.
It does not have to be a single two-hour assessment. The assessment provider has up to 6 hours available to meet with you, gather the information they need and provide feedback.
If your assessor is different from your Lead Service Provider, your Lead Service Provider can continue supporting you before, during and after the assessment while ACC considers your cover.
You can ask your provider or assessor questions about the assessment, what information is needed and what will be included in the report.
Support after cover is accepted
Once cover has been accepted, your ongoing support is based on your individual needs and recovery goals rather than a set annual number of therapy sessions.
ACC calls this Tailored Support to Wellbeing.
There are two main packages:
- Package A: up to 80 hours over a maximum of 24 months.
- Package B: up to 100 hours over a maximum of 24 months.
These hours can be used across appropriate providers and services to support your recovery goals. Receiving a package does not mean you have to use every available hour.
If you need further support, additional pathways are available. Your provider can discuss these with you as your needs and recovery goals change.
Telehealth and online appointments
Telehealth can give kiritaki greater choice and flexibility in how they access Sensitive Claims support. It may be particularly helpful where travel, location, accessibility, personal circumstances, or provider availability make attending in person difficult.
ACC Sensitive Claims services can be provided by telehealth where this is appropriate and safe for the individual kiritaki, and the same required standard of care can be provided as an in-person consultation.
Kiritaki should be involved in deciding whether telehealth is right for them. Their preferences and individual circumstances should be considered alongside safety, privacy, accessibility, communication, and cultural needs. Kiritaki must also be offered the option of meeting in person if they prefer.
ACC has specific requirements around where telehealth services can be delivered, including requirements relating to the location of both the kiritaki and provider. Providers should check the current Sensitive Claims Service requirements and seek guidance from ACC where circumstances change, such as when a kiritaki moves location or travels overseas.
Outcome measures
During your support, ACC uses outcome measures to help understand your wellbeing and how you are progressing.
For kiritaki aged 4 years and over, these generally include a primary EQ-5D measure and a secondary measure. Depending on age and circumstances, the secondary measure will be an appropriate HoNOS measure or Hua Oranga. For children and young people aged 4–15, HoNOS is used.
Your Lead Service Provider should work with you when completing these measures and can explain what the questions mean, why the information is being collected and how it will be used.
Outcome measures are generally requested after your Engagement Form, approximately every six months during longer-term support, every three months for Short-term Support to Wellbeing, and when services are completed.
Your privacy and understanding your support
Your privacy, safety and dignity are important throughout Sensitive Claims services. Providers are required to protect your personal and health information and handle it securely and confidentially.
You have the right to understand what is happening as part of your support. Your provider should help you understand what information is being collected, why it is needed and what information may be shared with ACC.
You can ask questions at any time about your support, forms, assessments, reports or outcome measures. If something is unclear, it is okay to ask your provider to slow down, explain it differently or give you more information.
You can ask questions
ACC Sensitive Claims can sometimes feel complicated, but you do not need to understand the entire system before seeking help. An approved Sensitive Claims provider can explain the process and help you understand the options available to you.
This page provides general information about ACC Sensitive Claims services. Individual circumstances differ, and ACC’s current Service Schedule, Operational Guidelines and decisions relating to an individual claim take precedence.
Official sources: ACC Sensitive Claims Service Operational Guidelines, ACC telehealth criteria, ACC support after sexual abuse or assault, and section 17 of the Accident Compensation Act 2001.