The meanings of the words, terms, names, acronyms and abbreviations used in the disability sector.
| Acronym | Meaning |
| ACC | Accident Compensation Corporation |
| ADHB | Auckland District Health Board |
| A T & R | Assessment Treatment & Rehabilitation |
| CDA | Child Disability Allowance |
| CM | Case Management |
| CMDHB | Counties Manukau District Health Board |
| CSC | Community Services Card |
| CSW | Community Support Worker |
| CYF | Child Youth & Family |
| DA | Disability Allowance |
| DHB | District Health Board |
| DIAS | Disability Information Advisory Services |
| DISAC | Disability Support Advisory Committee |
| DS | Disability Services |
| DSS | Disability Support Services |
| EMS | Equipment and Modification Services |
| ESS | Environmental Support Services |
| FS | Family Support |
| HBSS | Home Based Support Services |
| HH | Home Health |
| HOPS | Health of Older People Strategy |
| ID | Intellectual Disability |
| IDCC&R Act | Intellectual Disability (Compulsory Care and Rehabilitation) Act 2003 |
| IF | Individualised Funding |
| IP | Individual Plan |
| MDA | Muscular Dystrophy Association |
| MND | Motor Neurone Disease |
| MOE | Ministry of Education |
| MOH | Ministry of Health |
| MS | Multiple Sclerosis |
| MSD | Ministry of Social Development |
| NASC | Needs Assessment and Service Coordination |
| NDHB | Northland District Health Board (Northland Health) |
| NDSA | Northern DHB Support Agency |
| NGO | Non Government Organisation |
| NHI | National Health Index (number) |
| NMA | Neuromuscular Alliance, formerly Muscular Dystrophy Association |
| NZAS | New Zealand Audiological Society |
| NZDS | New Zealand Disability Strategy |
| NZFDIC | New Zealand Federation of Disability Information Centres |
| ODI | Office for Disability Issues |
| PHO | Primary Health Organisation |
| RIDCA | Regional Intellectual Disability Care Agency |
| RNZFB | Royal New Zealand Foundation of the Blind |
| SES | Special Education Services |
| SIL | Supported Independent Living |
| WDHB | Waitemata District Health Board |
Terms
Assessor
An Assessor is a person who conducts a needs assessment which helps to determine what a person’s abilities, resources, goals and needs are and then helps them to identify which of these is the most important.
Capitation
A type of payment for services in which an amount of money is allocated per person regardless of the amount of services an individual uses.
Case Management
Case management refers to a model of service delivery adapted to different settings. A Case Manager is responsible for coordinating and implementing the assessments and support interventions required to meet the needs of a person, usually described in a case management plan. The Case Manager also evaluates options and monitors the overall outcomes. Organisations currently using a case management model include ACC, Work and Income and some rehabilitation providers.
Cause of Impairment
Refers to how an impairment came about i.e.: injury as a result of accident, congenital condition, present at the time of birth or occurred during the birth process (includes congenital and pre-natal conditions), as part of a disease process or natural aging process.
Child Disability Allowance
A government-funded allowance paid to the parents or guardians of children requiring ‘constant care and attention’ because of severe disability. The allowance is a regular fixed amount payment that is not means tested.
Community Services Card
A Community Services Card provides proof of eligibility for individuals to obtain subsides on certain healthcare costs. People who receive a main type of income support will be eligible for a Community Services Card.
Community Support Worker
Community Support Worker (CSW) is a term used to describe a paid staff person whose key role is to provide support activities as identified in an Individual Plan (IP). A CSW typically works with a person to obtain, maintain or regain skills required for increased independence and quality of life. Activities could include supporting a person to catch a bus, prepare a meal or dress themselves.
Crown Entity
Crown entities are public sector organisations that are not public service departments or State-owned enterprises. Examples include the Human Rights Commission and ACC.
Disability
A process that happens when people with impairments interact with inadequate environments and attitudes which create barriers to their full participation.
Disability Allowance
An income-tested, government-funded allowance that reimburses people for regular costs they have because of disability. The amount of the allowance depends on a person’s costs.
Disability Community
Disabled people, together with their parents and Whanau/families. A Disability Community may refer to a locality, or a region, or a nation. Disabling attitudes and environments often affect this whole disabled community.
Disability Sector
All organisations and people whose purpose focuses on disabled people or the disabled community.
Disability Support Services
Disability Support Services, which fund common supports for disabled people and the disabled community.
Fee for Service
This is a payment to a provider for a service. Providers are paid for each service performed as opposed to capitation. The fee for service may be a fixed amount that covers the services provided or may refer to an hourly rate. Many private providers charge a fee for service using a fee schedule.
Health Information Privacy Code 1994
This code sets specific rules for agencies in the health sector to better ensure the protection of individual privacy. The code addresses the health information collected, used, held and disclosed by health agencies.
High and Complex Needs
People with high and complex needs are those whose needs are severe and of a long standing duration, and who are not able to be catered for adequately through usual services. They may be at risk of harming themselves or others, or are medically frail, and require an unusual intensity of care. Some DS are aimed at meeting the needs of this group.
Human Rights Act 1993
The Human Rights Act protects New Zealanders from unlawful discrimination in a number of areas of life. The Human Rights Amendment Act 2001 made significant changes to the Human Rights Act 1993. The links on this page to the Human Rights Act 1993 are to a version of the Act that does not include the amendments. A large number of the sections in this old version are no longer in force. Therefore the significant changes are explained here, and links have also been provided to the Amendment Act.
Impairment
A physiological, psychological or cognitive reduction or loss of function. This is what used to be called "disabilities".
Income and Asset Test
An Income and Asset Test is an assessment of a persons financial situation which is conducted by Work and Income New Zealand. An Income and Asset Test is voluntary, and if eligible a person may be entitled to funding of some Disability Support Services over and above a certain limit. For example, an Income and Asset Test is required for funding of housing modifications where the cost is more than $7900 (incl. GST).
Individual Plan
An individual plan refers to a written document detailing the service plan for each individual. It will typically describe goals and outcomes, and the strategies and actions for achieving these. It is usually time-framed and identifies who has responsibility for various actions as part of the plan.
Intersectoral Collaboration
Activities, projects or services that are resourced by more than one organisation from more than one.
Invalids Benefit
Invalids Benefit (IB) is available to people aged 16 years or over who are permanently and severely restricted in their capacity for work due to sickness, injury or disability.
Mobility Parking Permit Scheme
The Mobility Parking Permit Scheme is an officially recognised concession-parking scheme owned and administered by CCS Disability Action with the cooperation of local GP’s and all city and district councils.
National Health Index
The National Health Index (NHI) is part of the New Zealand health system and refers to a number (NHI number) each person is allocated usually at birth. The National Health Index holds information on names and addresses, ethnicity, date of birth, date of death, gender and NZ residency status.
Needs Assessment Service Co-ordination (NASC) Agencies
These agencies are funded by the Ministry of Health. Their roles are first to assess service user’s needs, and then to co-ordinate other services to meet those needs.
New Zealand Disability Strategy (NZDS)
The New Zealand Disability Strategy is an over-arching government policy document that presents a long-term plan for changing New Zealand from a disabling to an inclusive society. It has been developed in consultation with disabled people and the wider disability sector.
Neurological Condition
A Neurological condition results from abnormal function or damage (caused by illness or injury) to the brain, spinal column or nerves.
Northern DHB Support Agency (NDSA)
The NDSA is a shared services agency joint venture owned by the three Auckland Metro DHBs (Auckland, Counties Manukau and Waitemata) in their roles as health and disability service funders, for areas of service provision identified as benefiting from a regional solution. NDSA also provide services to Northland DHB as a client. Governance of the NDSA is through a Board of Directors comprising two representatives from each shareholding DHB.
Pathways to Inclusion
Pathways to Inclusion is a document describing the two key objectives of vocational services funded through Work and Income. These are to increase the participation of people with disabilities in employment and increase the participation of people with disabilities in their communities.
Personal Health (in the context of DS Funding)
A personal health need is defined as when a person’s level of independent function is reduced by a condition that requires ongoing supervision by a health professional.
Primary Health Organisation (PHO)
Primary Health Organisations are local groups of primary health care providers, i.e.: local medical centre, marae health clinic, responsible for arranging and delivering primary health care to those people enrolled with them.
Provider
A person or organisation that provides services to disabled people or the disabled community.
Request for Proposal (RFP)
When a government agency issues a new contract or grant program, it advertises a Request For Proposal (RFP). Many RFP’s are advised on the Government Electronic Tenders Site (GETS). Another way of advising an RFP is to send it to agencies that the funding body (sponsor of the RFP) believes may be qualified to participate. An RFP lists project specifications and application procedures.
Residential Care Line
Residential Care Line is funded through a contract with the Ministry of Health and administered by Auckland DHB.
Residential Care Subsidy
A Residential Care Subsidy provides financial assistance towards the costs associated with long term residential care in a rest home or a hospital.
Residential Support Subsidy
Residential Support Subsidy is the name given to payments to service providers for people with physical, intellectual and psychiatric disabilities who are receiving residential care services.
Service Specification
A Service Specification is a document that details the requirements and procedures that are required for an organisation that is providing a service to a funding body.
Specialised Assessment
During a needs assessment a person may be referred to a third party for a specialised assessment. The purpose of a specialised assessment is to obtain detailed information and knowledge to better assess a person’s need and identify a range of possible options. The assessment is completed by a person with specialist expertise in the area to which they have been referred. Specialist assessment may be used to confirm diagnosis (and eligibility for disability support services), to determine a suitable support, for example a piece of equipment, or detail the type of rehabilitation required.
Social Model of Disability
The social model of disability recognises that some people have impairments which affect how they function physically or mentally. But those people are disabled by the barriers that exist in a society that does not take account of their needs. These barriers may be in the physical, organisational or personal aspects of society - for instance, stairs without lifts, information not available in large print, or peoples negative attitudes.
Total Mobility Scheme
The Total Mobility Scheme aims to assist people with impairments to enhance their community participation by accessing appropriate transport by way of taxi vouchers that provide a discount of (usually) 50 percent off the normal taxi fare. It also provides funding assistance for the purchase and installation of wheelchair hoists in taxi vans.