Supportlinks provides NASC (Needs Assessment Service Coordination) services for disabled and older people within the MidCentral District Health Board geographic region. This includes the Tararua, Horowhenua and Manawatu areas.

Location

Our central office is located in Malden Street, Palmerston North and our team of staff travel across the region.

What we do?

Supportlinks wants to ensure that you are listened to and feel supported and respected. We want to know you as an individual and learn about your personal goals and needs. Then with you we want to plan and coordinate a range of supports to achieve your selected outcomes.

We have a network of community relationships and numerous sources of support and disability information e.g Weka to facilitate outcomes for you and the community. We are committed to working in partnership with you and to achieve this we need you to be committed to working with us.

What is Needs Assessment?

Any eligible child, younger person or older person with a disability living in the MidCentral District Health Board region is entitled to a “free” needs assessment from Supportlinks. The needs assessment is centred on you and is comprehensive.

On acceptance of a referral, a Customer Services Coordinator or Needs Assessor will make contact with you to arrange a time, date and place for your assessment to take place. You have choices about who is at your assessment and where it takes place. It is important to us that we are responsive to you, so please identify if you have specific communication needs i.e interpreter. We will go at a pace that suits you.

What is the purpose of the needs assessment?

The purpose is to talk with you and learn about what resources you have, your current abilities and your goals for the future and what you need to get there.

Information that is gathered during the assessment includes: your background, current living situation, your current support networks, what you can do and how you currently manage communication, mobility, household tasks and personal cares.

When is the assessment finished?

At the end of the assessment a report is prepared which summarises your prioritised needs. We work with you to set the order of priority. The report is agreed by you and or your representative. It is signed off and a copy is provided to you. A copy is given to a Supportlinks Service Coordinator to begin the next step of service coordination.

What is Service Coordination?

After your needs assessment, one of the Service Coordinators will work with you, using the information in the report to put together a support plan. The  plan is individual to you. It will include the exploration of a range of support options. We will discuss with you allocation of publicly funded services.

When the plan is agreed, the Service Coordinator will work with you to select a provider and complete referrals for services to be provided and establish a start date. When all of the support options are finalised, we will send you a letter outlining the plan.

Once you start receiving services the Service Coordinator will work with you to review and monitor the support plan.

Disability Support Services funded by the Ministry of Health 

For children and disabled people (generally, under 65 years), the following services are funded by the Ministry of Health :

• Home and Community Support Services (household management & personal care)
• Carer support
• Respite care
• Community residential support services
• Equipment
• Vehicle and housing modifications
• Behavioural support services
• Child development services
• Disabilty information and advisory services (DIAS)
• Assessment and service delivery for people with intellectual disability who have high and complex needs
• Day services for people with intellectual disability who have high and complex needs
• Inpatient Rehabilitation Services
• Habilitation/Rehabilitation
• Supported Independent living
• Individualised Funding
• Needs Assessment Service Coordination Services (Supportlinks)

For older people (generally, over 65 years), the following services are funded by the District Health Board:

• Home Based Support Services (household management & personal care)
• Carer support
• Respite care
• Aged residential care services
• Day services
• Inpatient Rehabilitation Services
• Needs Assessment Service Coordination Services (Supportlinks)
• Slow Stream Rehabilitation