ACC changes 'adding to' abuse victims' trauma

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Sexual abuse survivors are being retraumatised by ACC's new "sensitive claims" process, an independent review has found.

The agency tightened criteria for sexual abuse victims last October, limiting ACC-funded counselling to those clinically diagnosed with a mental injury resulting from abuse. As a result, sensitive claims submitted to ACC halved.

After protests, ACC Minister Nick Smith set up an independent review panel in April to assess the new process. Last month, ACC accepted an interim recommendation from the panel that sensitive claimants should receive 16 initial counselling sessions immediately.

The panel has now issued its final report, which found the criteria changes had led to long waiting times for claims to be processed, retraumatising vulnerable victims and prompting many to give up seeking help..

It was particularly worried about the time taken to process claims from children and teenagers – up to 10 months.

Relying on a clinical diagnosis meant many people were now being denied treatment, and ACC and counselling services needed to agree on other ways to identify whether a person had a "mental injury". The changes were "poorly planned".

Dr Smith said ACC would put its recommendations in place.

- © Fairfax NZ News