Counselling wait lists worsen as sexual violence claims spike

An article from The Manawatu Standard by Georgia Forrester.

Social services are  under strain as more people seek support for incidents of sexual violence.
Abuse and Rape Crisis Support Manawatu (ARCS) manager Ann Kent said the service was at capacity and had extended its hours in Palmerston North and Horowhenua, yet it still hadn't made a dent in its waiting list.
There was a two-to-three-month waiting list at ARCS for its counselling services.
The number of Manawatū people claiming ACC support for sexual violence cases had also spiked in the past year.
Figures released by ACC show there was a 24.2 per cent spike in claims made in the Manawatū District in the past financial year.
People who have experienced sexual abuse or sexual assault can lodge a sensitive claim with ACC and seek cover and entitlements for treatment, rehabilitation and compensation.
The number of sensitive claims made in Palmerston North increased by 16.3 per cent between 2015/16 and 2016/17.
Manawatū District claim costs reached $930,000 in the past year, with $2.5 million in costs paid to claims in Palmerston North.
Palmerston North was just below the national increase, which was up 16.5 per cent.
ACC redesigned its sensitive claim service in 2014 to improve accessibility,  but figures between 2012 and 2017 show a gradual increase in claims in the Manawatū area.
Kent said the ACC system was great,  but the current demand on counselling services was challenging and they were not able to keep up.
"I'm not aware of any agencies that are not experiencing an extra demand."
In an ideal world, counselling services would be offered to people there and then, but it was not realistic, she said.
During the nearly 10 years Kent had been a manager at the service, she had seen staff and client numbers jump.
Client numbers for counselling had remained steady in the past two years, but that was due to services already being at capacity, she said.
The service had expanded over time to keep up with demand, but there was no more funding available for further expansion.
Kent was unable to say whether there had been any increase in incidents of sexual violence.
"We believe that a lot of the increase is due to people being prepared to come forward to get support rather than keep silent about the abuse that they have experienced."
Police figures show reports of sexual assault and related offending tended to fluctuate monthly in the Central District.
There were 553 reports made in 2016 in the Central District, which includes Manawatū, Whanganui and Taranaki.
So far there had been 270 reports in the first six months of 2017.
Although there had not been a national campaign against sexual violence specifically, Kent said the 'It's Not OK' domestic violence campaign likely benefited the cause.
About 40 per cent of cases of violence between partners also involved sexual violence, she said.
Although there was a waiting list, Kent said social work services were still offered to people in the meantime. She encouraged people to come forward and use the services.
"What we don't want is for people to feel alone in this. We don't want them to feel completely isolated."
Green Party spokeswoman Jan Logie understood the pressure services were under, as some organisations had already raised concerns with her about heavy staff case loads.
Research showed only about one in 10 victims of sexual violence were reported.
"What we are seeing at the moment is still the tip of the iceberg."
However Logie said two-to-three-month waiting lists were too long.
A person may have waited 20 years before the trauma became too much and they finally sought help from a service. Those people needed help there and then.
Although preventative work was under way, there was still a lot of work to be done, she said.
A free national sexual violence helpline is scheduled to go live to the public on December 1, rolled out by the Ministry of Social Development.

© 2017 Fairfax New Zealand Ltd

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/97663396/counselling-wait-lists-worsen-as-sexual-violence-claims-spike

Dealing with childhood sexual abuse as a pensioner

An article from the Timaru Herald by Esther Ashby-Coventry

An unknown number of older people have taken the crimes committed against them as children to the grave, but more are now reaching out for help.
Between 2011 and 2016 the number of women and men in New Zealand over 65 lodging sensitive claims for sexual abuse has increased.
Accident Compensation Commission figures show 81 women and 28 men aged 65 years and over lodged a sensitive claim (sexual abuse) between July 1, 2015 and June 30, 2016 - an increase from figures in 2011/2012 in which 34 women and fewer than 10 men lodge sensitive claims.
South Canterbury counsellor Marion Williams said the increase could probably be attributed to more openness around the issue, but she would like to see more.
"Talking about it gets power over those who abuse and spreads more knowledge," Williams said.
Williams has counselled people with sensitive issues for 17 years and said many people 65 or older did not know how to access help, so the ACC figures were unlikely to represent the reality.
"I have heard some horrific stories from men who have suffered sexual abuse as a child who are in their 60s, 70s and 80s."
Many men tended to try and blot it out through sport, fighting, alcohol and drug use whereas women were often passive and focussed on caring for others to forget about themselves, she said.
"Their fear emotions may stay as a certain memory until they are dealt with."
Nightmares, grief and emotional pain could cause flashbacks of the trauma.
"It's like a tumour ... it's never too late to get help."
Up until the 1990s, when abuse started to be talked about, children who had been abused were often not believed or not listened to.
"The person may have tried to tell someone years ago and got into more problems. It was the culture of the times."
A number of the abused Williams has worked with had never been asked their stories and were treated for their symptoms such as depression or anxiety.
"They may suffer from shame, guilt and fear of speaking out."
The most important aspect of counselling was listening and acknowledging what had happened.
"People want to know they are heard and believed. The greatest healer is acknowledging the dreadful event and as not their fault."
Williams said people did not need a referral from their GP to get counselling for childhood sexual abuse.
"The counsellor will take you through the ACC process."
Age Concern Canterbury chief executive Simon Templeton said although ACC did fund a number of claims, it was hard for older people to get input from a public health psychologist as the area was underfunded and under-resourced.
Cognitive Behaviour Therapy could help some people accept what had happened and help them move on without having to relive what they had been through, he said. But that was not in the best interests of all sexual abuse survivors.
"They could talk it over [where to get help] with their GP and look at options if it [abuse] was still affecting their lives. It's not a small issue."
South Canterbury Senior Citizens community support co-ordinator Robyn Baldwin said no-one had talked to her about such a "delicate matter" during her work.
"So many [senior citizens] have never talked about it and don't. A lot of their abusers are not around now."

© 2017 Fairfax New Zealand Limited

http://www.stuff.co.nz/timaru-herald/news/85067123/dealing-with-childhood-sexual-abuse-as-a-pensioner

Sex abuse victim speaks out

An article from the Wairarapa Times-Age by Geoff Vause

A victim of convicted sex offender Raymond Buchanan, formerly of Masterton, has spoken out for the first time.
The man, now in his thirties and living in Australia, said he would only talk to the Wairarapa Times Age about the impact child rapist Buchanan had on his life, and his shocking neglect by various government agencies in New Zealand. A jury delivered a guilty verdict on all charges for the brutal abuse of two boys at Masterton from 1980 through to 1991 and in February Buchanan appeared before Judge Kit Toogood in Rotorua High Court and was jailed for 12 years.
The man and his brother, also a victim, were complimented by Judge Toogood for the “restrained and careful way” they gave evidence “without exaggeration”. The judge’s thanks was all they got.
Buchanan was ordered to pay $70,000 in reparation to each victim but has paid nothing so far as trustees control his funds. The victim now speaking out said he has somehow managed to remain relatively on track, “not messed up on drugs, staying out of jail” and overcoming the constant thoughts of taking his own life.
“I don’t have any self-confidence at all, I feel embarrassed and ashamed of what has happened,” he said.
He cannot be named, but said the trust controlling Buchanan’s money had refused to negotiate on coughing up a single dollar despite the judge’s order. He said he had been failed at the time not only by his mother but by school authorities and every government agency which could have helped.
His treatment by ACC and other agencies since the offending came to light had been more of the same.
“If somebody hurts themselves at work they go to ACC and get any assistance they need because they can’t work,” he said.
“Even Buchanan will get rehabilitation. He’ll get everything he needs.
“I pay for my own counselling at $187 each visit and I have not had any help. I haven’t been able to afford the last couple of visits and I feel completely ripped off.
“It feels like the criminal gets rehab and the victim gets life just trying to survive each day”.
The counselling was essential to having some semblance of a life. He said the counsellor was stunned he was still alive. His fear of touch, even a cuddle, made it almost impossible to have a relationship.
His cynical treatment at the hands of government agencies in this country was also disturbing.
“Being the main witness they paid for my flights back to New Zealand and a hotel room, but that was it.
“I was left to fund everything else including supporting myself while not working. I even had to refinance my bike to pay for living expenses in Australia.
“ACC said I had to come back to New Zealand and live for at least eight months before they will even look at giving me any help.
“New Zealand is the last place I want to be. I have no good feelings there. I left there so I didn’t do something that would have ended up with me in jail.
“I struggle every day to find some purpose. I’m a hard worker, but I struggle with the mood swings, so it’s hard to keep jobs.
“I just have to get away on my own. I’ve lived in the desert just with a swag for months at a time. I’ve had no help at all.”
When he tried to contact the agencies in New Zealand that could help, he was passed around from one to the other, or they didn’t get back to him.
“They get me to repeat my story, over and over again. It’s cost me heaps in calls, all for nothing. The system is just totally screwed,” he said.
“It’s not about the money. The whole system is backward.
“I’m the victim, left to fend for myself.”

http://times-age.co.nz/sex-abuse-victim-speaks/

Copyright 2016 Wairarapa Times Age

Being a victim is not illness

An article from the Herald on Sunday by Tess Nichol

Requirements for sexual attack survivors to be diagnosed with a mental health illness to get ongoing taxpayer funded counselling could be reviewed, ACC Minister Nikki Kaye has revealed.
Green Party MP Jan Logie will tomorrow lead a demonstration at ACC's Auckland office protesting the current process, which requires survivors receive a mental injury diagnosis before their claim for further assistance can be approved.
Up to 14 hours of one-on-one therapy is available when someone lodges a sensitive claim with ACC, along with up to 10 hours of social work support. Up to 20 hours of whanau support are also available immediately.
After these are used, ACC decides whether to approve cover for further support, should the person need it. That included victims needing to be diagnosed with a mental health injury relating to the abuse.
"We believe that survivors of sexual abuse should be able to get all the help they need without the requirement of being diagnosed with a mental illness," Logie said. "The advocates are very clear that it is still acting as a barrier, [that] the consequences are harmful and that it's unhelpful."
Logie said she had been told of survivors who had to retell painful details of their abuse to people they had not previously met so they could get the mental health diagnosis they needed to keep seeing their therapist, a process they described as traumatic and revictimising.
Kaye told the Herald on Sunday she believed the system was supportive of survivors. But the minister said she would meet providers this week to discuss possible changes to the scheme. That would include looking at different ways to assess mental harm to victims.
"I'm really keen to work with providers and opposition parties to see if there is a better way [of doing things]."
Kaye said a "mental injury diagnosis" could be provided by any ACC registered and appropriately qualified assessor, which in many cases is the client's counsellor.
"If the assessor is someone different, the client's counsellor can be with them throughout the process, including during the assessment to ensure they feel safe and supported, and can provide background information to the assessor beforehand if the client doesn't wish to speak about some things again."
Changes were made in 2009 to the way support was accessed through ACC by sexual violence survivors, bringing in the requirement for a mental injury diagnosis in order to access help. After a 2010 review of the scheme and consultation with those working in the sector, further changes were made so survivors could have immediate access to support.
Since the review, ACC has been working with providers to improve the care of sexual assault survivors, something Kaye said had been hugely successful.
"We've come a long way [since 2009]," she said. "ACC has given me feedback that a lot of providers have been quite positive about the new service. But that doesn't mean that we can't do better."

© 2016 NZME Publishing Limited

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11646773

Sexual abuse drives hundreds of kids to ACC

An article from Newshub by Emily Cooper

Families are being told to ask more questions of their children following the release of disturbing new statistics. Newshub can reveal that in the last 12 months, the number of children under the age of 15 seeking ACC services for sexual abuse has reached more than 800.
Maggy Tai Rakena of sexual violence support group START says kids need to be questioned.
"We don't want to jump to conclusions when there's distress showing, because it could just be that the cat died, or grandma's sick or something," says Ms Rakena.
"But it's a prompt to ask more. Children do talk about this stuff."
Ms Rakena says 90 percent of offenders are known to the victim.
"Their loyalties are torn; there can be some nice sides about the relationship, but also if it's your mum or your grandma or your dad or your uncle, and people that your parents love and trust, it's really hard to speak up," she told Newshub.
"The story about 'stranger danger' and the one odd person that drags a kid away from the school gate is so rare, so unusual."
Seventy-two kids under four had sensitive claims through ACC.

Copyright © 2016 MediaWorks TV

http://www.newshub.co.nz/nznews/sexual-abuse-drives-hundreds-of-kids-to-acc-2016031006

ACC sex abuse claims double in five years

An article from Newshub by Emily Cooper

More sexual abuse and sexual assault victims are reaching out for help under ACC's sensitive claims services.
Figures released to Newshub under the Official Information Act show claims have nearly doubled in the past six years. In 2010, 3674 people lodged a claim compared to 6946 people last year. Those seeking counselling services have also almost doubled.
ACC Minister Nikki Kaye says it's down to changes made around the handling of sensitive claims. "Previously it was hard, it was quite an insensitive process," she says.
Victim advocate Louise Nicholas says the rise is also likely down to more people speaking out against sexual violence and the stigma around people speaking out being lifted.
Over the past three years, ACC has had to re-think the sensitive claims process and worked with survivors of abuse, advocates and therapists to make the process easier. ACC also scrapped the top up fee that victims previously had to pay for counselling services and a new support package was also announced this time last year.
Ms Kaye says $100 million will be spent over the next six years to give people better access to counsellors.

http://www.newshub.co.nz/nznews/acc-sex-abuse-claims-double-in-five-years-2016030218

Copyright © 2016 MediaWorks TV

Dame Paula Rebstock has learnt to ignore the criticism that comes with the job

An article from Stuff by Jo Moir

Public servant Paula Rebstock has been recognised for her services to the state by being made a Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit. Jo Moir spoke to her about her most challenging roles, the sacrifices and how she deals with, often negative, public scrutiny. Money-hungry, a patchy performer, unqualified for your job: for most people, having those insults hurled your way would make 2015 an annus horribilis.
For Paula Rebstock, however, the barbs were nothing compared to some of the darkest days in her career.
When a lone gunman walked into a Work and Income office in Ashburton in September 2014, killing two staff and leaving a third seriously injured, Rebstock - chairwoman of the Work and Income board - stood alongside workers and the community as they struggled to make sense of the tragedy.
"The senseless loss of life of staff, those things are the things that are truly hard to deal with, and those things put life in perspective."
Now, her appointment as a Dame Companion of the NZ Order of Merit has provided a new perspective on her years of work. On New Year's Eve, Rebstock, her husband and two daughters will take up glasses of bubbles from their holiday home in the Bay of Islands, toasting a successful year rounded off with a "surprising" honour that brought her to tears.
Standing in the kitchen with her husband while opening the mail, Rebstock thought nothing of a letter from Government House, assuming it was her annual invite to Waitangi Day commemorations.
"I opened it and was really quite taken back. My husband said to me, 'What is wrong with you?' and I handed him the letter with tears running down my face. He looked at me and said, 'Oh God'."
Rebstock's two daughters, aged 20 and 24, have made "a lot of allowances for the certain work schedule their mother keeps" so she was straight on the phone to tell them the news.
"It was a special family moment, no question."
This isn't Rebstock's first award: after completely revamping the Commerce Commission, she was made a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2009.
Rebstock, originally from Montana in the United States, moved to New Zealand in 1987 and says the honour helped her to feel at home.
"For me it was something about being accepted in this country and really being a New Zealander like everyone else."
First employed by Treasury as an economist, she then served in the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet before moving to the Commerce Commission, where she became chair in 2003.
"When I left the Commerce Commission I always thought that would be the thing in my career I'd most feel proud of because we really did shift the work of the Commerce Commission to be far more productive."
On leaving the Commission in 2009, Rebstock was asked to lead an expert panel on probation services, which at the time was "really in a state of crisis".
"They were an agency under siege."
After cleaning up that mess, Rebstock moved onto ACC where her first experience on the board was a "terrible privacy breach". Details of thousands of ACC clients, some who fell under sensitive claims, were accidentally sent to ACC claimant Bronwyn Pullar.
"It really rocked the organisation...it involved a fairly large transformation in order to earn back the trust and confidence of our customers."
Most recently, Rebstock has been chairing a review of Child Youth and Family - a government department that has endured years of overhauls but no real change.
"If I'm honest I don't think I realised how big a challenge it was going to be...we've not done well by children who come into the care of the state."
Labour leader Andrew Little was scathing about her $2000-a-day salary for the review, saying she was "in it for herself" in what he described as a "pretty patchy career".
Rebstock is not new to criticism of her work, singling out "relentless" scrutiny while at the Commerce Commission, but says she does not let the political jibes get the best of her.
"These things are political processes and it's part of the game...it would be crazy if I allowed myself to get caught up in that - that's not to say at the time I didn't think, 'Gosh, why am I doing this again?'."
For now, it's Christmas at home, then a month at the beach and much excitement at the news her elderly parents and sister plan to travel to New Zealand in the New Year to celebrate her honour.
"People have to make a lot of allowances for you in their life when you get involved in a lot of these things and my family have always done that."

© 2016 Fairfax New Zealand Ltd

www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/75403036/Dame-Paula-Rebstock-has-learnt-to-ignore-the-criticism-that-comes-with-the-job

Offender victims given counselling for childhood sexual abuse

An article from Voxy

Offenders who have experienced childhood sexual abuse are now receiving targeted counselling services through an innovative collaborative partnership between Corrections and Nelson’s SVS - Living Safe.
"A large proportion of offenders have themselves been victims," says Polly Cunningham, Corrections District Manager for Nelson, Marlborough, West Coast. "Very few have sought, or been offered, help in the past or considered the links between the abuse against them and their own antisocial behaviours."
Research tells us there is a strong correlation between child sex offending of males and later relational difficulties, violence, mental illness and drug/alcohol abuse. This is certainly evident in the population of prisons and probation services (both with adults and juveniles).
For the first time, the men in counselling are starting to get some closure and find a way forward. This is summarised by John (not his real name).
"Pretty much everything that happened after it (the abuse) - happened because of it. Counselling has helped me realise what I have to do to get over it."
American research shows that child maltreatment roughly doubles the probability that an individual engages in many types of crime, with childhood sexual abuse having the largest effects on crime. A study which explored the relationship between childhood sexual abuse and later antisocial behaviour found that 59% of prisoners questioned reported some form of childhood sexual abuse. "The counselling is aimed to help these offenders to work through some of the harm caused to them in their past, support them make changes in their own lives and help break the cycle of abuse for their own families and whanau," says Polly.
Through the partnership, identified offenders will be offered professional support and counselling. "We hope that this will help these men and women to move forward without the adverse effects and risky behaviours that can be seen in some victims of abuse, ultimately helping them to maintain a crime free life. Sometimes just letting them know there is somewhere safe they can go when they are ready can plant the seed or broker a new connection."
The programme, which is run by SVS in conjunction with The Male Room in Nelson, has been running for two years. Through this time, six offenders have attended the programme. "This initiative is making a real difference for the people we are seeing," says Dee Cresswell, Manager SVS - Living Safe. "Through this collaboration with Corrections and the Male Room, we are able to help offenders to address some of the underlying issues that contribute to their antisocial behaviours and in particular, to family violence. Partnerships like this demonstrate the benefits to individuals and the public when organisations take a holistic approach and work collaboratively to reduce offending and re-offending.
"We have had the opportunity for the past two years through innovation funding. Referrals were slow to start, but with the support of Practice Leader Gary Basset the momentum grew."
"Childhood abuse is a hard topic for Probation staff to raise with the people they manage and it is very difficult for offenders who have been affected by childhood abuse and never dealt with this to ask for help," says Gary.
"This partnership can make a life changing difference for these men at a very personal level and for their families and future generations."
The ACC programme is now delivered by SVS - Living Safe’s approved Assessors and providers to ACC approved clients through the Integrated Services for Sensitive Claims.

© 2015 Digital Advance Ltd

http://www.voxy.co.nz/national/offender-victims-given-counselling-childhood-sexual-abuse/5/224146

The inadequate response to sexual violence prevention

An article from Scoop by Gordon Campbell

On combatting sexual violence, the government has finally begun to undo some of the problems that were of its own making. Early in March, ACC launched the Integrated Services for Sensitive Claims scheme – a package aimed at improving the attitudes of ACC staff towards sexual violence victims, and offering them more substantive support. Hopefully, this will help to reverse the damage done with the insensitive, punitive ACC policy put in place by the incoming Key government in 2009, which in some parts of New Zealand, saw 90 per cent of sexual violence victims being turned away by ACC.
As well as this new support scheme, ACC is also increasing its annual funding of sexual violence prevention education, from a paltry $1 million to $4 million, a figure still seen as inadequate by experienced workers in the field.
In addition, Justice Minister Amy Adams has invited the Law Commission to revisit its work on possible changes to the pre-trial and courtroom procedures faced by sexual complainants. The Police however, continue to be one of the glaring problem areas. The report by the Independent Police Conduct Authority into the Police handling of the so called “Roastbusters” group in Auckland not only disagreed with the Police rationale for not initiating a prosecution under the Crimes Act – ultimately, the Police decided that a prosecution would not be in the public interest, given the young age of some of the offenders. It was a stance that completely ignored the even younger age of some of the victims.
The IPCA also faulted (as being inadequate to non-existent) the Police contact with the young men and their families. Arguably, not only was justice for the victims ill-served by the Police decision not to prosecute, but the deterrent/prevention aspect was completely neglected. In the words of the IPCA report, the Police “overlooked the importance of holding the young men accountable for their behavior, and preventing its recurrence.”
The conspicuous failure by Police over the Roastbusters incidents came despite the findings by the 2007 Commission of Inquiry into Police conduct (that had been initiated by the complaints made by Louise Nicholas). This inquiry had revealed a culture of misogyny and aberrant behaviour rife among the Police, at high levels of the Police hierarchy. So, unless the government is prepared to put some heat on the Police over its handling of sexual violence between adolescents and adults – and the subject was conspicuously absent from the Briefing to the Incoming Minister of Police in 2014 – then the concerns about sexual violence being expressed in Parliament this week will ring hollow.
Even the possible changes to pre-trial and courtroom treatment will not address the issue of prevention. As the initial Law Commission issues paper on those proposals pointed out, the approach being assessed “ does nothing to address the attitudes that led to the offending, and it accordingly fails to reduce the risk that the behaviour will recur.” It may seem both incredible and yet somehow unsurprising that – so long as some of the next America’s Cup racing is held in Auckland - the government would spend ten times the amount on that regatta than what ACC is currently putting into sexual violence prevention education.

© 2015 Scoop Media

http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL1504/S00002/gordon-campbell-the-inadequate-response-to-sexual-violence.htm

ACC help for sexual violence victims

An article from the Manawatu Standard by Thomas Heaton

Client-focused changes to ACC's services around sexual violence have been a long time coming, Palmerston North counsellors say.
ACC officially launched the new Integrated Services for Sensitive Claims scheme on Monday. The new service puts greater focus on maintaining wellbeing and increasing the provision of support, including increased hours for support.
Palmerston North counsellor Paulette Berryman, who is also on the Sensitive Claims Advisory Group for ACC, said the new system was very different from what was brought in in 2009. A part of the advisory group for about 15 years, she had seen a lot of changes.
Berryman said the system enlisted in 2009 was really awful for clients, as many were unable to get counselling services.
"When survivors have already been rendered powerless, they don't want to engage in a more powerless system."
It was found ACC was turning about 90 per cent of claims away. In 2009 there were 282 claims while in the 2013/2014 financial year there were 369 in the Manawatu-Whanganui area.
"The biggest change I see is that there is a client-centred approach," Berryman said.
Clients will also no longer have to pay surcharges for the services of counsellors.
ACC expected an increase in the number of cases coming in, because of the change to the client-focused system.
Manawatu Women's Refuge manager Dr Ang Jury said it was a long time coming. A more sensitive approach to the realities of what victims went through was needed. Flexibility in treatment, allowing victims to enter, leave and return to assistance was important.
Jury said the change made sense, as some people may not want to deal with issues immediately, or they may feel they had already dealt with their problems.
"A little bit down the track, they might realise they need support," Jury said.
"People are individuals ... They need to be treated on a one-on-one, individualised basis, taken seriously for what's happening to them."
Ann Kent, manager of Abuse and Rape Crisis Support Manawatu, said the new system was promising.
"It's a new system to us and everybody is still learning ... They [ACC] seem to have looked at what hasn't been working.
"[They] have put in a concerted effort to put in place a system that will be positive," she said.

© 2015 Fairfax New Zealand Limited

http://www.stuff.co.nz/manawatu-standard/news/66972110/ACC-help-for-sexual-violence-victims

Influx expected with funding for ACC sexual abuse service set to double

An article from NZ Doctor by Ruth Brown

ACC is braced for an influx of new sex abuse claimants following the launch of its more generous service for sensitive claims. The budget for this financial year is $14.6 million, to cover support assessment and treatment. This is set to almost double to $29.5 million for the 2015/16 year. In the 2013/14 year ACC spent $12.5 million on sensitive claims.
A year-on-year 10 per cent increase is conservatively estimated, says Emma Powell, strategy manager, sexual violence at ACC. Since the service began rolling out last November, an extra 1000 claims have been lodged for the service which, at any one time, is dealing with 5500–6000 claims. The main difference is the service is now fully funded so clients won’t be asked to make a copayment which previously was sometimes as high as $90 for counselling sessions, Ms Powell told New Zealand Doctor.
The Integrated Services for Sensitive Claims (ISSC) was officially launched in Wellington last night.

‘Less daunting’ assessment
Ms Powell says the assessment process for claimants has changed significantly after feedback from clients that it was “pretty daunting”. Instead of assessments being conducted by an independent party over one or two sessions, ACC now offers supported assessments which have been allocated up to 26 hours. This is allocated for support sessions interwoven with assessment sessions and a de-brief with the claimant at the end. Also, counsellors who may have conducted the original sessions are likely to be involved with the supported assessments, she says.

Not enough counsellors
Ms Powell acknowledges a lack of trained counsellors in some parts of the country.
In a previous New Zealand Doctor story, Wellington GP and deputy chair of Doctors for Sexual Abuse Care GP Cathy Stephenson said sexual abuse survivors were still facing barriers because of too few counsellors.
Ms Powell says areas such as South Canterbury, the West Coast and remote rural areas were most affected by a lack of counsellors specialising in sexual abuse. But ACC will pay for providers to travel to these areas.
“We will be working through some of those gaps fairly smartly,” she says.
ACC currently has 175 suppliers with 770 providers on its books and it’s currently assessing and processing another 110 potential providers, she says.

© 2015 MIMS (NZ) Ltd

http://www.nzdoctor.co.nz/news/2015/march-2015/03/influx-expected-with-funding-for-acc-sexual-abuse-service-set-to-double.aspx

ACC overhauls sexual abuse care service

A news report from Radio New Zealand News by Michael Cropp

The Accident Compensation Corporation has overhauled its sensitive claims service, with its minister saying it made big mistakes in the way it dealt with victims of sexual assaults.
Before 2009, ACC accepted thousands of sensitive claims, but after changes to the system that number plummeted, and in 2011 just 135 claims were accepted.
Survivors' advocate Louise Nicholas said the impact when ACC clamped down on the numbers of claims it accepted was devastating and in some cases victims committed suicide. Support workers no longer wanted to be part of the system, she said.
"We lost hundreds upon hundreds of counsellors who refused to work in such an inhumane system," she said.
"We lost survivors, and I mean literally, lost survivors. So people just backed right off and said 'we don't want a part of this'."
Ms Nicholas had been a member of a panel that worked to overhaul what she said was a highly bureaucratic process which re-traumatised sexual assault survivors and denied them the help they needed. Many struggled with ACC forms asking them what kind of accident they had had - while constant assessments to qualify for assistance wore people down.

More support
Under the new service, that is set to change. There will be a support package for people who have suffered sexual abuse or assault, access to therapy is free and people are covered for longer. People are also able to enter and exit the system for support at any time. As well as the person who was sexually assaulted or abused, family and whānau are also able to seek help free of charge. The form, too, has changed to reflect the sensitivities of the situation.
ACC strategy manager for sexual violence, Emma Powell, said the changes required a big re-think of how ACC dealt with clients.
"It's a tailored response and a tailored approach, trying to put as much control back into the hands of our clients."
The client is able to choose who they see and if things were not working out the Sensitive Claims team would arrange an alternative.
"We talk about the fact that the counsellor-and-client relationship is critical to success, so if it's not working we need to offer ways that people can seek other supports," she said.
The public issues Chair for the NZ Association of Psychotherapists, Kyle MacDonald, worked with sensitive claims clients and helped advise ACC on the changes. He said the new system was much more sympathetic to a survivor's needs.
"I think that ACC have engaged really willingly in the process of recognising that actually the system wasn't working and that they needed to fix it," he said. "they have essentially redesigned a services which looks to address a lot of the concerns raised [in 2012]."
ACC Minister Nikki Kaye, said the old system was not working, and she wanted people to know it had changed.
"There's a lot of work to do, both around how do we prevent these things from happening, but then how do we make sure people are cared for right throughout government," she said.
The Minister said the changes were just the start of a much bigger process, which she hoped would provide better care for survivors and help prevent the violence from happening.

* If you, or someone you know, is affected by sexual violence you can find out more about these services at ACC Find Support site or call the ACC sensitive claims team on 0800 735 566.

© 2015 Radio New Zealand

http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/267591/acc-overhauls-sexual-abuse-care-service

Changes to ACC sensitive claims and Ministry of Justice funding

An article from Counselling Aotearoa News by Irene E M Paton

There have been significant changes in the services offered by both of these major third party funders. The Government has moved to a model of having a ‘supplier’ who holds the contract and contracts with ‘providers’ to do the work.
With ACC, there are a number of NZAC members who have been granted a supplier contract. These can be found on www.findsupport.co.nz. This explains about the new process and for more detailed information go to: www.acc.co.nz/for-providers/integrated-services-for-sensitive-claims/index.htm.  It offers a lot more services to clients (social work, family/whanau, group work) and more support for providers (cultural advice and active liaison).
I think it will be more respectful of clients as the supplier can choose who will do the assessments and the counsellor is paid to attend the sessions with the client if necessary. There is more of a sense of working together as a team in the best interests of the client’s healing and growth.
Unfortunately the previous funding for couples who needed support to rebuild or repair their relationships (Section 9s and 10s) has been withdrawn.
Now the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) has developed a new system whereby couples who want to make parenting agreements have to go through a process called Family Dispute Resolution (FDR) before they are able to take the matter to Court.
There are exceptions to attending FDR where the parties are unsuitable for the mediation process.  Couples under the threshold can have government funding for the FDR process and there are two main suppliers - Fairway and Family Support. They also need to attend a Parenting Through Separation Programme and are offered three sessions to prepare them for mediation and free legal advice.  More information can be found on www.justice.govt.nz/family-justice.
Other suppliers have been appointed to provide non-funded or partially-funded work. These can be found on www.justice.govt.nz/family-justice/about-children/making-decisions-about-children/new-process/justice-providerslist.
These are challenging times and we are being invited to adapt to a new culture. A colleague, Paul Muir, and I have set up two new companies to supply both of these services (www.cfdr.co.nz and www.optimumsolutions.co.nz). It has been hard work to go through the tendering process, however we are hoping that we will be able to offer quality services to clients.

© 2015 NZAC

http://www.nzac.org.nz/counselling_aotearoa_news.cfm?articleID=942&page_obj_id=53

Therapy out of reach for many survivors of sexual abuse

An article from NZ Doctor by Reynald Castaneda

A Wellington GP is calling on ACC to recruit more sensitive claims counsellors, saying abuse survivors encounter long delays before their first therapy session.

ACC’s sensitive claims process has improved over the years, but survivors still face barriers because of a lack of counsellors, Doctors for Sexual Abuse Care deputy chair and GP Cathy Stephenson says.
Ease of access is important for people with a physical and/or mental injury suffered as a result of sexual abuse or sexual assault. Even the smallest inconvenience can discourage them from seeking help, Dr Stephenson says.
For example, when assisting one of her clients to find a counsellor in a different city, she called nine counsellors from a list of 10, and all were fully booked. Left to make these calls on their own, the client wouldn’t persist after being told “no” several times, she says.
Another problem is counsellors who can take new clients will not accept victims of sexual abuse, Dr Stephenson says. This is “fair enough” as they shouldn’t be overwhelmed by too many such cases.
ACC sexual violence strategy manager Emma Powell says the system is still evolving after multiple makeovers in the past several years.
 “We couldn’t have changes overnight … relationships had to be repaired within the sector to a point where we could all be working collaboratively,” Ms Powell told New Zealand Doctor.
“We want people to come forward and we want people to access services … this is not one of those [services] where we try to reduce people [coming] forward”, she says.
Changes to ACC’s sensitive claims pathway began five years ago after an independent review. ACC has been tinkering with this pathway since then, with recent changes going live at the end of last year.
More than 118 individuals and organisations offer sensitive claims services under the new contract, with approximately 800 providers including counsellors, Ms Powell says.
Survivors no longer have to get approval from ACC to see a counsellor, she says. But if more therapy sessions are needed, an individual assessment needs to be completed. If approved, the client can receive other types of treatment, including psychiatric and psychological help as well as financial compensation if they were earning at the time of the abuse. If a client is declined, in that the client’s mental issues are not caused by the sexual abuse incident, the client is redirected to other pathways which can help them.
“ACC doesn’t just say sorry, that’s it … it’s a very different system these days.”
Survivors who do not reach the assessment stage because they volunteered not to continue with any more counsellor sessions are also marked as “declined” in ACC’s books.
In the financial year 2013/14, 5118 sensitive claims were lodged and 3595 (70 per cent) marked as “declined”.This is a jump from 4828 claims lodged in 2012/13 (65 per cent were “declined”) and 4430 claims lodged in 2011/12 (63 per cent were “declined”).
Asked whether this conflated use of “declined” hides the real number of claims turned down by ACC, Ms Powell says survivors receive a personalised service even with this “accept or decline” system. Real numbers are revealed after audits are completed.

In essence
Wellington GP Cathy Stephenson says ACC needs to enlist more sensitive claims counsellors because survivors encounter long delays before their first therapy appointment.
ACC says the system has been improving in the past five years and dramatic changes cannot happen overnight.
Survivors don’t need approval from ACC to have an appointment with a counsellor, but must go through an assessment if more sessions or treatment are required.

© 2015 MIMS (NZ) Ltd

http://www.nzdoctor.co.nz/in-print/2015/february-2015/18-february-2015/therapy-out-of-reach-for-many-survivors-of-sexual-abuse.aspx

Health insurer, physio group among suppliers of ACC sexual abuse counselling

An article from the New Zealand Family Violence Clearinghouse

Australian health insurer Medibank, Active Physiotherapy (now called Active+) and Auckland doctors' network Procare are among 173 successful applicants to become "suppliers" of ACC-funded sexual abuse counselling.
"Suppliers" are a new management layer created as part of ACC's sensitive claims system redesign. "Suppliers" will contract with counsellors and psychologists who will remain the service "providers."
Counsellor and co-chair of TOAH-NNEST Tania Blomfield expressed concern about whether non-specialist suppliers would understand privacy issues and other sensitivities associated with sexual abuse, and whether they were seeing sexual abuse counselling as a "potential money-spinner."
As part of the system redesign, ACC will raise the level of funding it provides from the current $83 per hour to new rates dependent on the qualifications of the counselling provider. Providers will no longer be able to charge clients a "top-up" fee. This is intended to reduce the barriers to victim/survivors to access counselling. However, Ms Blomfield expressed concern that some providers could end up worse off if the suppliers charged large administration fees.
ACC recently announced that under the redesign, it would:

• Fund access to 48 therapy sessions over 12 months
• Provide the full cost of counselling sessions
• Allow claimants to 'shop around' for a therapist of their choice
• Provide therapists with travel funding to allow them to travel to people in isolated regions
• Support the inclusion of family members and support people during the recovery process where appropriate.

© 2014 New Zealand Family Violence Clearinghouse

https://nzfvc.org.nz/?q=node/1888

Abuse claim oversight switch stuns providers

An article from the New Zealand Herald by Simon Collins

Australian health insurer Medibank has won a bid to manage sexual abuse claims for the Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC).
The company, which is being sold by the Abbott Government in a share float expected to fetch up to A$5.5 billion ($6.1 billion), is one of 173 successful bidders to become "suppliers" of sexual abuse counselling - a new management layer that will contract with counsellors and psychologists who will remain the service "providers". Other successful bidders include Active Physiotherapy, now called Active+, and Auckland's biggest doctors' network, Procare.
Counselling leaders are alarmed. Manukau counsellor Tania Blomfield, who co-chairs the national network of sex abuse counselling agencies, said she was concerned that "private sensitive information is going into databases outside of the sector".
"It scares me that they may be seeing this as a potential money-spinner," she said.
ACC has lifted funding from a standard $83 an hour at present to new rates which will stay about the same for counsellors with diplomas but will increase to about $100 an hour for those with master's degrees or $130 an hour for physiotherapists, or more for clinical psychologists. But counsellors who go into the new integrated contracts will no longer be able to charge clients "top-up" fees of up to $90, and some could end up worse off if the supplier companies managing the contracts take a big cut for administration.
"From the client's perspective, which is what it's all about, this is going to be a lot better than the existing system, but the question is going to be how badly do the providers get screwed along the way," Ms Blomfield said.
Medibank NZ general manager Andrea Pettett said the company approached about 700 of the 900 ACC-registered counsellors and received indications of interest from more than 100 of them. The company also operates the Healthline phone service for the Ministry of Health and is believed to be on a shortlist of three, along with Lifeline and a company owned by Procare and Christchurch doctors' network Pegasus, in another tender to integrate Healthline with other helpline services.

Sex abuse tender

Why are sex-abuse counselling contracts being re-tendered?
ACC's new "integrated contracts" include assessing clients' needs as well as providing counselling. Until now most counsellors have not had contracts but simply billed ACC for hours worked.

Why can insurance companies and physiotherapists bid?
ACC has opened up the criteria for assessments to allow clients to choose their assessors and counsellors. Until now ACC decided who did the assessments.

What will change for sexual abuse survivors?
They should get a more integrated service, fully funded by ACC. Counsellors in integrated contracts can no longer charge clients extra fees above the ACC subsidy.

Why are counsellors worried?
Some counsellors worry that insurance and physiotherapy companies won't understand privacy issues and other sensitivities in sexual abuse cases.

© 2014 APN New Zealand Ltd

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11346777

ACC initiative targets sexual violence

An article from the Papakura Courier by Tao Lin

They are talking sex and violence at Papakura High - and how the two don't mix.
The school is the first in South Auckland to trial Mates & Dates, a new ACC initiative that aims to help prevent sex and dating violence by teaching teenagers healthy relationship skills and behaviour. It's being piloted during term three across seven classes and organisers say it's getting good results.
ACC statistics shows the 15 to 24 age group is the most at risk from violence by current and ex-partners. One in five female and one in 10 male secondary school students report unwanted sexual contact or being made to do unwanted sexual things. Around 37 per cent describe the unwanted activity as severe and 57 per cent tell no-one.
Korowai Tumanako, a Maori service designed to support those affected by sexual violence, facilitates Mates & Dates at Papakura High. Its director Russell Smith says the response from students has been great and many of those who were disengaged at first were taking notes by the second or third sessions. The programme teaches about healthy relationships, consent and how to stay safe.
"The hope is to normalise discussions," Smith says.
Fellow director Joy Te Wiata says students are encouraged to apply the lessons to all areas of their lives and recognise how to help others in danger.
"It's quite a courageous programme in that we are making discussions about sexual violence overt," she says.
"They're simple, key messages."
School guidance counsellor Avril Michaels says she's also pleased with "how positively the staff of the classes have embraced the programme".
ACC sexual violence prevention programme manager Sandra Dickson says it applies to all kinds of relationships and extends the organisation's role in helping people deal with experiences of sexual violence. It already plays a key role supporting people dealing with the effects of sexual abuse or assault, she says.
"We now want to play a greater role in helping to prevent sexual and dating violence and the harms they cause."
The programme is relevant to all students, whether they're in a relationship or not, she says.
"It covers all kinds of relationships such as friendships and those with family. The programme will help students think about relationships they already have, as well as dating in the future.
"It's a challenging time for teenagers to be growing into adulthood. We hope Mates & Dates will give them the skills and tools they need to both make that transition safely and carry with them throughout their lives."
ACC minister Judith Collins was at the school last week to catch up on the programme's progress. She describes it as "a fantastic step to prevention" and says she supports challenging current mentalities around sexual violence.
Papakura High is one of nine schools around the country trialing the new programme.
If you or someone you know needs information or help after a sexual assault or abuse, contact ACC's sensitive claims unit confidentially on 0800 735 566. See toah-nnest.org.nz for information on where to seek help if you have experienced sexual violence or become concerned about harmful sexual behaviour towards others.

© 2014 Fairfax New Zealand Ltd

http://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/10399082/ACC-initiative-targets-sexual-violence

Teaching teens about right sort of love

An article from the Wanganui Chronicle by Lydia Anderson

Teenagers often look for love in all the wrong places, so a programme teaching them about healthy relationships has got to be good, a Wanganui counsellor says. ACC's new pilot, Mates & Dates, will teach secondary school students healthy relationship skills, as part of a three-year programme aimed at preventing sexual and dating violence.
And the West Auckland Roastbusters scandal, which involved teenage boys boasting online about having group sex with drunk, underage girls, had an effect on the programme being formulated "at pace". Wanganui counsellor Neil Pedley said if teenagers were not getting their emotional needs met at home they often turned to drastic measures, such as having inappropriate sexual encounters.
"You wouldn't believe what's out there in the way of incidents that occur among young people, it still amazes me.
"The common factor is they're looking for love in all the wrong places."
The programme could be beneficial if it created awareness that it was OK to have needs as long as teenagers tried to meet them in a healthy way, he said.
ACC sexual violence prevention programme manager Sandra Dickson said although the Roastbusters scandal was not the reason Mates & Dates was developed, it did prompt the organisation to "move at pace" and prioritise a school-based programme.
"We were already aware of the lack of a best practice, multi-year, nationally available school-based programme to help to prevent sexual and dating violence," she said.
"Roastbusters and other recent high profile incidents reinforced the urgent need for that gap to be filled."
Students involved in the pilot programme would be taught how to have relationships based on respect, negotiation and consent. It would also help them to identify inappropriate behaviour and show them how to get help.
Secondary Principals' Association president Tom Parsons said there was no "one size fits all" programme to suit all schools. However, if the programme was shown to work it could be worth rolling out nationally with adjustments made to suit each school's unique environment.
ACC Minister Judith Collins said the Mates & Dates pilot supported the Government's efforts to drive lasting change in young people's behaviours and attitudes by focusing on prevention.
"In 2012-13, ACC funded about $44 million for sensitive claims, all of which relate to sexual violence," she said.
Mates & Dates is based on research here and overseas that shows 15- to 24-year-olds are most at risk from violence by current and ex-partners. One in five female and one in 10 male secondary school students report unwanted sexual contact and, of these, 37 per cent describe the unwanted activity as severe, and 57 per cent tell no one. The nine secondary schools involving 2000 students in the pilot study are: Dargaville High School, Kelston Girls' College, Kelston Boys' High School, Papakura High School, Makoura College, Naenae College, Nelson College, Nelson College for Girls and Otago Boys' High School.

© 2014 APN New Zealand Limited

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/wanganui-chronicle/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503426&objectid=11297109

ACC to cover rape therapy costs in full

An article from the New Zealand Herald by Isaac Davison

ACC will pay for every cent of rape victims' counselling as part of a major overhaul of its sensitive claims system later this year.
The corporation is bracing for a significant increase in the number of sensitive claims in the next six years as the stigma around sexual violence is increasingly broken down in New Zealand.
In response, it was planning an expanded, more flexible service which took into account the sensitivity, length of time, and cost of treating rape-related trauma. These changes were based on the recommendations of a highly critical independent review in 2010.
Sexual violence services are under scrutiny in New Zealand following the "Roast Busters" scandal and temporary closure of some frontline clinics because of funding shortfalls. ACC received 5055 new sensitive claims last year, and is expecting a 10 per cent increase in claims each year until 2020.
ACC strategy manager for sexual violence Emma Powell said the overhaul would give victims more time, funding and choice.
"We are no longer going to be approving 10 counselling sessions here, or 10 there, we are actually saying 'Here's 12 months, you and your therapists ... build a programme around the person's needs ... and that's about providing a much more holistic approach'.
"We're throwing away the calendar and throwing away the clock and just letting people focus on getting better."
The cost of the upgrade cannot yet be revealed, but it was expected to require a doubling of funding. ACC spent around $45 million on sensitive claims in 2012/13.
At present, ACC funded counselling for rape victims but only up to $80 for a one-hour session. Counsellors often charged a "top-up", or additional fee of up to $90.
Ms Powell said the corporation was concerned that this cost was putting people off a crucial service. Claimants were taking an average of 7.8 sessions despite being entitled to 16 sessions, or more depending on their circumstances.
Under the new service, ACC would cover the full cost of the sessions. The overhaul would also allow victims to shop around for a therapist who they felt comfortable with.
Therapists, psychologists or psychotherapists would be given travel funding to allow them to reach people in isolated regions.
ACC and its partner agencies planned to increasingly include family members or support people during the recovery process, though it was not yet planning to extend its services to perpetrators.
At present, adult sexual abusers can get funded treatment only if they are in the criminal justice system. This meant there was a gap in the system because many victims knew their abusers and did not want to place charges, but wanted them to get treatment.
This problem was raised at a wide-ranging Parliamentary inquiry into specialist sexual violence services. The inquiry has been told of long waits for specialist services, uncertainty about continued funding, and the struggle to help Maori, rural, transgender or intersex clients.

Funding changes
*All counselling sessions for sensitive claims will be fully funded.
*Claimants can get access to 48 therapy sessions over 12 months, as well as other treatment.
*Victims can shop around for a counsellor they can trust.
*Family members or support people will be included in treatment where appropriate.
*Therapists will be funded for travel to allow them to visit isolated regions.

© 2014 APN New Zealand Ltd

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11245848

Govt questioned over ACC policy

A news report from Radio New Zealand News

Opposition parties are questioning how long the ACC Minister has known about a privacy waiver used by the corporation that has now been ruled by a court as too broad.
ACC Minister Judith Collins, questioned in Parliament, said she was told about the court decision on Friday and was not aware of the significance of the issue.
But Labour and the Greens say Ms Collins has known about the issue for years, as it was raised in a report about a privacy breach 18 months ago.
Green MP Kevin Hague said after serious privacy breaches by ACC in the past, Ms Collins made public confidence in the corporation a ministerial concern.
Labour's ACC spokesperson Iain Lees-Galloway said it was implausible Ms Collins heard of the issue only last week.
"It was in the review of the Bronwyn Pullar case that issues with this form were first identified. In fact, there were media articles about this late last year as well. It's implausible the minister only heard of this issue last week."
In August 2011, details of more than 6000 ACC clients were mistakenly sent to Auckland claimant Bronwyn Pullar, resulting in the resignations of ACC minister Nick Smith, ACC chair John Judge, two directors and chief executive Ralph Stewart.
Outside the House on Wednesday, Judith Collins said ACC should not be handing over people's sensitive claim information to prospective employers and she hadn't heard about the sensitive claims complaint until Wednesday.
"I am actually very concerned about that and I want to find out what are the facts behind it. Is this correct? I understand that there has been some complaints filed with the Human Rights Commission. If that is true, I look forward to seeing what has occurred and when it has occurred."
Ms Collins says she wants to make sure that people's privacy is protected.

http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/241780/claims-acc-sent-sensitive-files

© Radio New Zealand 2014