Eligibility Criteria
Please select one of the options below to find out more information
Physical, Intellectual, Neurological or Sensory Disabilities
To be eligible for a Needs Assessment you must be between 0 – 65 years of age and your disability must:
- Be physical, neurological, intellectual or sensory (or a combination of these),
- Be likely to continue for a minimum of 6 months,
- Result in a reduction of independent function to the extent that ongoing support is required.
Your age and/or disability will determine whether LifeLinks can assist you. Referrals can be made by you, your family, friend, General Practitioner or Specialist.
Referral Form:
Psychiatric, Alcohol and/or Other Drug Disabilities
We accept referrals for people with psychiatric disability that meet the DSM-IV criteria. (This excludes V – codes). These referrals must come from the Canterbury District Health Board, South Canterbury District Health Board or a contracted specialist source as described in the following list.
Mental Health Service Referral Sources
- Whakatata House
- Psychiatric Emergency Services (PES)
- Mothers & Babies Unit
- Rural Psychiatric Team
- The Anxiety Disorders Unit
- Child & Family Inpatient Unit
- Family Mental Health Service
- PSAID
- Youth Specialty Service
- Youth Inpatient Unit
- The Eating Disorder Team
- The Hereford Centre
- Sector Bases
- Totara House
- Maori Mental Health Service
Alcohol and Drug Referral Sources
- Community Alcohol & Drug Service (CADS)
- The Christchurch Methadone Programme
- Kennedy Inpatient Service
Prioritisation of referrals
- Child & Youth
- Maori
- Pacific Islanders
- All Others
A confirmation of diagnosis is required from a psychiatric clinician, a mental health service or an alcohol and drug service. The disability needs to have significant impact on ability to function and the need for support likely to continue for a minimum of six months.
All referrals require the consent of the person being referred
Urgent Referrals
- To prevent those in the community who lack adequate supports from entering inpatient service facilities.
- Those undergoing a planned discharge from a hospital without community supports e.g. client requiring residential services.
- Any client discharged from hospital due to surgery or medical intervention will be discharged with appropriate services such as Domestic Assistance or Personal Care for a period of up to 6 weeks post discharge. This will be arranged by a hospital Social Worker.
We do not provide a psychiatric emergency or crisis support. If there are immediate clinical safety and/ or risk issues then referral to an appropriate agency is required e.g. Psychiatric Emergency Services, appropriate Sector Base (Case Manager)
Referral Form:
Interim Funding Pool (IFP)
Eligible clients meet all of the following criteria:
- are aged under 65; and
- are currently not eligible for Ministry funded disability support services; and
- are not eligible for DHB funded long-term support services; and
- have one or more chronic health condition(s) that is/are expected to continue for six months or more; and
- have very high need for long-term support services; and
- does not have an informal support system (family or whanau) or the informal support system is under stress and at risk of breaking down
Referral Form:
Regional Intellectual Disability Care Agency (RIDCA)
To assist you in establishing if the person may meet the eligibility criteria for RIDCA service use the prompts below:
Does the person have:
- an intellectual disability and
- behavior that poses a serious risk of physical harm to self or others and
- their access to mainstream services or community options is limited or prevented OR
- a psychiatric disorder, or substance use disorder OR
- Behavior that has resulted in a breach of the law.
RIDCA eligibility for services also includes:
- Persons who are a “care recipient” or a “special care recipient” as defined in the Intellectual Disability (Compulsory Care and Rehabilitation) Act 2003, have automatic eligibility.
Referrals can only be made to RIDCA by Needs Assessment Service Co-ordination agencies.
Referral Form:
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