Families face ‘shock’ funding cuts
Whaikaha – Ministry of Disabled People put in place restrictions regarding disability funding yesterday, leaving thousands of families shocked and without support.
The new changes have seen all purchases including respite items, travel related costs for carers and whanau as well as any purchases that may be made to give carers a break, axed temporarily.
In a Facebook post yesterday, Whaikaha stated the changes were made due to “increasing pressure across the disability support system.” They said they provide support services for almost 50,000 people, and funds equipment and modification services for 100,000 people.
Whaikaha currently receives $2.2 billion each year in government funding.
Sarah Hinchey first found out her funding was cut through being tagged in a social media post. She has two daughters with autism, Olive, 13, and Anna, 15, both of whom were using Whaikaha funds to help their basic needs.
After Hinchey found self-harm letters in Olive’s bedroom, she knew she needed help. With the added struggle of selective mutism, meaning Olive cannot speak in some situations, she had begun to struggle at school. So badly that one day she sat through a whole day of class with her arm broken.
When Hinchey took Olive to see a GP in the hopes of accessing counselling or a psychologist she was told a “flat no”, as Olive was not in any immediate danger. Because Whaikaha funding allowed it, Olive was able to access private psychology sessions, which otherwise would have cost $230 weekly.
After Hinchey’s eldest daughter Anna started struggling in class, unable to read properly, Hinchey was turned down again when attempting to access a speech therapist. Whaikaha funding meant Anna could get the help she needed privately.
Whaikaha’s new restrictions now mean Olive and Anna cannot get the support they need, which Hinchey cannot afford.
New restrictions on the Whaikaha website state, “you are not able to buy support when funding for that support has been turned down by (or on behalf of) the responsible government agency”.
Meaning that because Hinchey was turned down by her GP for psychologist and speech therapy in the beginning, Whaikaha will no longer fund it.
Amanda Bleckmann, deputy chief executive of Whaikaha said the cost of delivering support services is “increasing year on year”. “We need to ensure that disability support and funding is directed at the person it is meant for, and prioritised to those that need it the most.
“This is a decision Whaikaha-Ministry for Disabled People has had to make … We will ensure our partners, including disabled people, tāngata whaikaha Māori, family and whānau and our providers, are involved as we work towards a long-term funding approach.”
Minister for Disability Issues, Penny Simmonds, stated that the restrictions are a response to a predicted overspend of Whaikaha’s $2.2b budget.
“This is not a response to the need to find savings. It is a response to a forecast of overspending on a budget that has a 10 percent increase for 2023/2024.
“Support for disabled people will continue to be maintained, however, to manage the current situation Whaikaha will be working with providers on how support can be prioritised to those with the greatest need.”