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Disability Support Services operational policy

This page contains Disability Support Services (DSS) operational policy documents.

Please note this page contains information and documents that are in the process of being updated.  

Operational Policies

Operational Policy – Exceptional Circumstances when a Community Residential Support Service Provider requests the Exit of a Service User

The  Exceptional Circumstances Policy (DOC 293KB) specifies the procedures to be followed by DSS personnel when a Community Residential Support Service Provider seeks to exit a service user from their residential home and when an impasse has been reached between the service provider and the Ministry of Health.

These circumstances are regarded as exceptional and require DSS managers to promptly initiate and manage appropriate processes to fulfil DSS obligations to both the service user and the service provider.

Operational Policies for Hosted Schemes

Some people are eligible to access one of the Hosted Schemes that allow people to manage their own budget (Personal Budget) with the help of a Host Provider. Hosted Schemes currently include:

  • Individualised Funding (IF) – this is a national scheme where people who have been allocated Home and Community Support Services and/or Respite can purchase these supports flexibly/directly
  • Enhanced Individualised Funding (EIF) – this is part of the New Model Demonstration in the Bay of Plenty where people are allocated a Ministry budget for disability supports and can purchase supports flexibly
  • Enabling Good Lives (EGL) Hosted Personal Budgets – this is part of the Enabling Good Lives Christchurch Demonstration where people are allocated a budget that may come from multiple Government agencies.

Restrictions on access to hosted budgets

The  Restrictions on Access to Hosted Budgets operational policy (DOCX 36KB) sets out the terms for access to funding under a Hosted Scheme, and applies to all people accessing a Hosted Scheme.

The Restrictions on Access to Hosted Budgets operational policy includes:

  • who can access a Hosted Scheme
  • restrictions that may be placed on a person if they do not comply with the terms of access.

Guideline for verification of supports

The  Revised Guideline for Verification of Supports within Hosted Funding Schemes (DOCX 97KB) sets out accountability requirements for people who use a Hosted Scheme.

The Guidelines set out:

  • standardised verification requirements for host providers to assist them verify that supports have been purchased/engaged
  • what evidence for expenditure people have to send to host providers when people claim for funding.
  • standard declarations for claim forms and service agreements
  • a privacy declaration and  privacy notice (DOCX 30KB) for support workers
  • record keeping requirements.

Recognition Payments under Individualised Funding

A Recognition Payment is a payment given for administration work that is done on a voluntarily basis on the disabled person’s behalf.  The payment must be for reasonable expenditure incurred.

Circumstances where a Recognition Payment can be claimed

A recognition payment may be appropriate when an IF User relies on others to assist them manage their funding, as acknowledgement of costs associated with that assistance.

Reasonable expenditure would include such general expenses as use of their own vehicle, use of their own office equipment, home office etc. in their role as a volunteer administrator for the disabled person.

If there is one Agent assisting more than one IF User, a claim could be accepted for each IF User – with their agreement.

An Agent should only claim once for one IF User regardless of funder.

Paying tax on a Recognition Payment

This falls within the scope of the exemption in section CW 62B Income Tax Act 2007 and is not in excess of reasonable and actual expenditure incurred by the caregiver annually.   A recognition payment of $300 or less is exempt income to the agent under this provision.

When a Recognition Payment cannot be paid

Under some exceptional circumstances a Host provider may also be the employer. In this situation, no recognition payment can be paid.

How much can be paid?

No more than $300 every 12 months can be claimed from an individual’s budget. This must be claimed with the IF Users agreement, as an expense from the allocation as a cash payment and noted as a Recognition Payment.

No additional funding will be allocated to cover this claim.

Purchasing Guidance

The purchasing guidance should help you to understand better how to apply the purchasing rules which govern disability funding as well as provide overall guidance.

Learn more about the Purchasing Guidance