Accessing Hōhepa Services
All people who wish to access publicly-funded support for those with an intellectual disability must have their needs assessed by a District Health Board (DHB) Needs Assessment Service Co-ordination (NASC) agency.
NASCs are contracted by the Ministry of Health to work with disabled people, to assist in ascertaining their needs and outline what support is available to them. They allocate Ministry-funded services and help with accessing other services.
The Transition Service at Hōhepa Auckland is an invaluable aid for families of special needs students who are approaching the time to leave school. The Transition Service co-ordinator works with school special needs staff and families to identify options following graduation.
In Auckland the NASC is the Taikura Trust, in Hawke’s Bay it is Options Hawke’s Bay and in Canterbury it is Life Links. Recently Hōhepa was granted a contract that allows the service hold service agreements with the Wellington NASCs – Capital Coast Health & Life Unlimited, Petone.
There are local NASCs in each region throughout NZ, which will be the local contact for families throughout New Zealand.