The person requiring the purchase of essential housing modifications through the Ministry of Health must meet the following criteria:

1) The person must have a disability as defined in the Ministry of Health Funding Agreement:
"A person who has been assessed as having a physical, psychiatric, intellectual, sensory or age related disability (or a combination of these) which:
a) Is likely to continue for a minimum of six months and result in a reduction of independent function to the extent that ongoing support is required; and
b) Is not as a result of a personal injury by accident for which eligibility for cover and entitlement has been confirmed under the Accident Insurance Act 1998; and
c) Irrespective of whether that person is receiving Personal Health Services."

Note: In terms of the Disability Services Directorate of the Ministry of Health, the definition of disability excludes psychiatric disability.

2) The person must be a New Zealand Resident or qualify under a reciprocal funding agreement.

3) The person must reside within the area covered by the Wellington, Hamilton or South Localities of the Ministry of Health.

4) The person has had an assessment by a Specialised Housing Assessor and it is determined that housing modifications are essential to enable the person to:

• Have mobility into and within the home
• Return to, or remain in the home
• Be the primary carer of dependent children.

5) Any person whose disability is as a result of an accident, trauma or injury and/or who has entitlement for payment under the Injury Prevention, Rehabilitation, and Compensation Act 2001, is specifically excluded from access to this service.

Note: The criteria for prioritisation guidelines do not override existing eligibility criteria as defined in this manual, and Nasc services cannot override existing criteria to access funds administered by Enable New Zealand.

Additional information regarding a person's eligibility for environmental support services can be found in the Ministry of Health's 'Guide to Eligibility for Publicly Funded Personal Health and Disability Services in New Zealand' (MoH, November 1998).

Eligibility Criteria - Definitions

1. Mobility into and within the home
Mobility into and within the home is defined as:

• To allow access into the home from where a vehicle could be reasonably parked
• To allow mobility within the home, enabling the person to have reasonable access to achieve essential activities of daily living.

2. Return to, or remain in his/her own home
Modifications to enable a person to return to, or remain in his/her own home must establish that without the modification, the person would be unable to manage and/or be physically safe at home and would have to be admitted to a hospital or residential service.

3. Primary Care
Housing modifications may be purchased to enable:

• A person to carry out their role as the primary carer of dependent children (dependent can be defined by age or disability dependency)
• A child with a disability to receive disability related care.

NB: a primary carer is considered an unpaid carer (usually a parent or full time guardian).

Note: Housing Modifications may also be considered where this reduces the need for external/additional Ministry of Health purchased support, eg. personal and domestic assistance. To access this option the person must participate in a facilitated needs assessment through a Nasc service.

All applications for housing modification grants made under the criteria above must be essential and cost effective.

4. Housing Modification
A housing modification is any alteration and/or addition to a house to meet a person's disability needs. It includes the fixture of handrails, ramps etc.

5. Essential
Essential means that there is no other viable alternative. Without the housing modification the person would be subject to avoidable harm and would not be able to meet the eligibility criteria.

Where the person has other options available or can 'make do', the criteria of 'essential' is not met.

If the modification will only improve a person's quality of life, and not affect independence, caregiving or increase safety for the person, the criteria of essential is not met.

6. Cost Effective
Cost effective is defined as being the most economic and appropriate solution suited for the person's needs. This does not necessarily mean the least expensive option available.

Exclusions

Housing modification grants are not approved in the following circumstances:

• Environmental support services for people entitled to payment under the Injury Prevention, Rehabilitation, and Compensation Act 2001.
• Individual housing modifications under $200 inc GST.
• Retrospective funding or reimbursement of any housing modifications undertaken prior to the receipt of written confirmation of the availability of funding from Enable New Zealand.
• The purchase of soft furnishings to a home eg. curtains, light fittings etc.
• Redecoration beyond minimal "make good" to the area affected by the modification.
• Housing modifications for social or economic reasons. The modification must be for the disability related need.
• Repairs and maintenance to a home.
• Work place modifications, including modifications to the home to enable the person to undertake self-employment from the residence.
• Housing modifications for Rest Homes, Private Hospitals, Residential Homes and other similar residential services.
• Housing modifications where the provider of the dwelling is being paid by the person and/or the Ministry of Health to provide housing suitable for their needs eg. housing purchased on a licence to occupy basis.
• Assessment costs including any related travel and accommodation.