Accident Compensation Corporation - Working with Sexual Abuse

ACC understands the complex and distressing situations that bring women to call on agencies and counsellors ? and that it is hard enough for women to talk about these issues with those closest to them let alone with a government agency. But it is important to know that ACC provides help for people who have been exposed not only to physical but also to sexual abuse.

Sexual abuse is a hidden injury that affects thousands of New Zealanders. ACC has an obligation to not only help survivors of sexual abuse, but to provide them with the best care possible.

ACC is able to accept claims for mental injury arising from sexual abuse at any time in a person?s life, as long as they were a resident of New Zealand at the time. These claims are dealt with by ACC Sensitive Claims Unit who have case managers from relevant backgrounds to ensure sexual abuse claims are dealt with sensitively, efficiently and with consistency. ACC has accepted about 80,000 sexual abuse claims since the scheme began in 1974. Around 80% of these claims are made by adults who were abused as children; 20% are for recent abuse, mostly abuse of children.

Currently over 8,000 claimants are receiving rehabilitation, funded by ACC, for the effects of sexual abuse. A minimum of 10 hours of counselling can be approved for all accepted claims, and more hours may be approved to assist with specific rehabilitation goals.

ACC wants to ensure that survivors of sexual abuse are aware of the service we provide and they know how to access it. The claims lodgement process involves an initial visit to a counsellor or a General Practitioner. There will some changes made to this process during 2002, so it is important that providers ensure they are aware of the current process.

For further information about making a claim for sexual abuse injury visit the ACC website ? www.acc.co.nz, contact ACC Sensitive Claims Unit - freephone 0800 735 566, fax 04 918 7577 or write to Freepost 130043, PO Box 1426, Wellington.

Becoming an ACC registered counsellor

To become an ACC registered counsellor you must meet the criteria laid down in the Counsellor regulations 1999.

The requirements cover professional qualifications, professional organisation membership, amount and type of professional experience and supervision and the counsellor?s understanding of the influence of age, beliefs, culture, gender, sexual orientation, and disability on responses to injury and trauma and the cultural values and beliefs of Maori

ACC decides whether or not a counsellor meets those requirements. Application forms can be obtained from Counsellor Registration, Rehabilitation and Assessment Services, ACC Healthwise, PO Box 242, Wellington.

There are separate forms for application for registration as a counsellor for claimants with sexual abuse or mental injury caused by physical injury. If you wish to provide services for both types of claimants then both application forms must be completed. The appropriate forms together with an information pack will be sent to each applicant. Completed applications are evaluated by a panel consisting of professionals who have been nominated by the respective counsellor professional bodies. The panel?s decision is advised to applicants and those approved for registration are sent a provider number and registration pack.

Further information is available in ACC Counselling Services ? Getting Started, obtainable from the above address.

ACC is pleased to support the Resource and Referral Directory.

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