Needs assessment services
If you are looking for support because you or someone you care for is disabled, there are several ways you can get support from Whaikaha – Ministry of Disabled People.
A good place to start is to contact one of our Needs Assessment Service Coordinator (NASC) organisations to gain an understanding of Whaikaha funded support services.
You will also find information on Ministry funded supports and services by visiting our Supports and Services page.
What is a Needs assessment?
The purpose of a Needs Assessment is to learn more about you. This means gaining an understanding of your preferences, what your goals are, what your desired life looks like and the support you might need to live that life now and in the future.
Once the NASC has done the Needs Assessment, they will discuss with you support options that you might be eligible for.
They will discuss options funded by Whaikaha and non-funded options or supports which may be found in the community or funded by other ministries.
Eligibility
You do need to be eligible for disability supports and have documents showing your eligibility when making a referral to a NASC organisation.
Eligible means you meet a specific set of disability criteria. To find out if you would be eligible, please visit our how to access support page.
How do you make a referral?
Anyone can make a referral to a NASC, including the disabled person themselves, a family member they trust, a friend, or a trusted health professional. Referral means to direct another person to an organisation or professional, in this case to gain support.
Referrals can be over the phone, by email and for some NASCs, they have an online clinical portal for healthcare professionals as well.
The disabled person or their whānau needs to consent to the referral. Consent means that you agree to allow someone to do the referral for you.
NASCs are nationwide so contact the one closest to you. All are very knowledgeable about what support is available and how Ministry funding is accessed which they will discuss with you.
What can you expect?
When you contact the NASC, they will ask you questions which will help them to understand how to best advise you on the supports that may be available to you.
If eligible, they will organise for you to have a Needs Assessment, which can take place virtually on-line, on the phone, or in your home or a place you choose, depending on your circumstances.
This is the beginning of the Needs Assessment process which is a term you may have heard about. If they think this is needed, they will set up a time to come and meet with you at your home.
Your Choice
It’s important to understand that you get to decide on your chosen support/s and/or a service provider that best suits your needs.
Your NASC will make referrals to the relevant providers, so that you can start receiving these supports. You will receive from them, in writing, what services have been put in place.
If you've chosen a provider, they will then contact you to discuss a start date and what your preference for support staff might be.
At your Needs Assessment, be open and talk about whatever you want to talk about regarding your life and the support you think you might need.
North Island services
Here is a list of services available in the North Island by region. Choose the service nearest to you.
Whangarei, Northland
NorthAble - Matapuna Hauora
Website: Warning, this website autoplays a muted video - NorthAble - Matapuna Hauora external URL
Address: 40 John Street, Whangarei
Contact details:
- Email: northable@northable.org.nz
- Phone: 09 430 0988
Auckland
Taikura Trust
Website: Taikura Trust external URL
Address: Building 1, Level 1, 570 Mt Wellington Highway, Mt Wellington, Auckland
Contact details:
- Email: referrals@taikura.org.nz
- Phone: 0800 824 5872
Gisborne
Your Way - Kia Roha
Website: Your Way - Kia Roha external URL
Address: 105 Disraeli Street, Gisborne
Contact details:
- Email: referrals@yourwaykiaroha.nz
- Phone: 06 863 2836 or 0800 758 700
Hamilton, Waikato
Disability Support Link
Website: Disability Support Link external URL
Address: CBD Waiora, Level 1 KPMG building, 87 Alexandra Street, Hamilton CBD
Contact details:
- Email: dsloffice@waikatodhb.health.nz
- Phone: 0800 55 33 99 or 07 839 8883
Tauranga, Bay of Plenty
Support Net - Te Whatu Ora
Website: Support Net Disability Services and Support - Te Whatu Ora external URL
Address: 190 Seventeenth Avenue, Tauranga South
Contact details:
- Email: SupportNet.BOPDHB@bopdhb.govt.nz
- Phone: 07 5710 093 or 0800 262 477
Whakatane
Support Net - Te Whatu Ora
Website: Support Net Disability Services and Support - Te Whatu Ora external URL
Address: Whakatane Hospital, Stewart Street and Garaway Street, Whakatane
Contact details:
- Email: SupportNet.BOPDHB@bopdhb.govt.nz
- Phone: 07 306 0986
Rotorua
Support Net - Te Whatu Ora
Website: Support Net Disability Services and Support - Te Whatu Ora external URL
Address: 1166 Amohau Street, Rotorua
Contact details:
- Email: SupportNet.BOPDHB@bopdhb.govt.nz
- Phone: 0800 262 477
Mid Central District
Mana Whaikaha (NASC equivalent) - Palmerston North, Kāpiti and Levin
Website: Mana Whaikaha external URL
Contact details:
- Phone: 0800 626 255
- Email: admin@manawhaikaha.co.nz
New Plymouth, Taranaki
Your Way - Kia Roha
Website: Your Way - Kia Roha external URL
Address: 36 Devon Street West, Level 1, Kings Building, New Plymouth
Contact details:
- Email: referrals@yourwaykiaroha.nz
- Phone: 0800 758 700
Hawke's Bay
NASC Hawke's Bay Disability Support
Website: NASC Hawke's Bay Disability Support - Our Health Hawke's Bay external URL
Address: Gate 9 McLeod Street, Hastings
Contact details:
- Email: NASC.HB@hbdhb.govt.nz
- Phone: 06 870 7485 or 0800 339 449
Whanganui
Your Way - Kia Roha
Website: Your Way - Kia Roha external URL
Address: 244 Victoria Avenue, Whanganui
Contact details:
- Email: referrals@yourwaykiaroha.nz
- Phone: 0800 758 700
Masterton, Wairarapa
Focus - Te Whatu Ora
Website: FOCUS providing access to support services - Te Whatu Ora external URL
Address: Level 2, 49-51 Lincoln Road, Masterton
Contact details:
- Email: focus@wairarapa.dhb.org.nz
- Phone: 06 946 9813 / 0800 900 001
Lower Hutt and Upper Hutt, Wellington
Your Way - Kia Roha
Website: Your Way - Kia Roha external URL
Address: 1 Market Grove, Hutt Central, Lower Hutt
Contact details:
- Email: referrals@yourwaykiaroha.nz
- Phone: 04 569 3102 or 0800 758 700
Porirua, Wellington
Capital Support - Te Whatu Ora
Website: Capital Support - Te Whatu Ora external URL
Address: Kenepuru Hospital, Raiha Street, Porirua, Wellington
Contact details:
- Email: capitalsupport@ccdhb.org.nz
- Phone: 04 230 6400
South Island services
Here is list of services available in the South Island by region.
Nelson, Marlborough
Nelson Marlborough Disability NASC
(formerly Support Works)
Website: Nelson Marlborough Disability NASC external URL
Address: 281 Queen Street, Richmond, Nelson
Contact details:
- Phone: 0800 244 300
- Email: support.works@nmdhb.govt.nz
Blenheim, Nelson-Marlborough
Needs Assessment Service - Te Whatu Ora Nelson Marlborough District Health
(formerly Support Works)
Website: Needs assessment service - Te Whatu Ora external URL
Address: Marlborough Community Health Hub, 22 Queen St, Blenheim
Contact details:
- Phone: 0800 244 300
- Email: support.works@nmdhb.govt.nz
Christchurch, Canterbury
LifeLinks
Website: LifeLinks external URL
Address: 42 Buchan Street, Sydenham, Christchurch
Contact details:
- Phone: 0800 866 877
- Email: office@lifelinks.co.nz
Dunedin, Otago
Your Way - Kia Roha (Otago and Southland)
Website: Your Way - Kia Roha external URL
Address: Ground Floor, Burns House, 10 George Street, Dunedin
Contact details:
- Phone: 0800 758 700
- Email: referrals@yourwaykiaroha.nz