There is a high risk of injury or physical trauma to;

- the person
- or to caregiver/s in the course of caring for the person. (e.g. continual manual lifting of a person heavier than 45 kilograms is causing back strain and may cause back injury).

Or;

There is a high risk of neglect or abuse of the person. (e.g. A caregiver is not able to cope with the level of care a person requires and the assessor has concerns, which are substantiated by others, that care may therefore not be provided).

- AND provision of the particular environmental support service would minimise the risk.

There is a moderate risk of:
- injury, abuse or neglect to the person or caregiver/s.

Or;

There is a risk that the persons essential functional skills could deteriorate if a temporary solution is in place for an extended period. 

There is a low immediate risk of injury, abuse or neglect to the person or caregiver/s.

But;

The safety or personal health/disability status will be compromised if the environmental support service is not put in place within a certain time.

The absence of environmental support services makes it impossible/unrealistic for the person to remain in their own home or return to their own home.
(e.g. the person cannot get into or out of the house as there is no ramp and they use a wheelchair for mobility).
NB: Environmental support services should always be put in place immediately if the only other alternatives are to remain in a hospital bed or to be admitted to a rest home.

Or;

In the case of school students in the compulsory sector, their disability support needs are such that they could not attend school unless equipment is provided.
(e.g. The child requires a wheelchair for functional, age appropriate and/or safe mobility in and around their home and therefore will require it to be mobile at school).

N.B: This does not include the equipment required to support educational needs of children and the Operational Protocol between MOE, SES & MoH should be used as a guideline in all decisions about provision of equipment to children at school.

Or;

The application is for level two or level three assessed seating system;

or is for positioning equipment which is essential to maintain postural integrity whilst skeletal developmental is occurring ie: demonstrably prevents postural collapse or inhibits positions which directly compromise physiological function.

The absence of environmental support services makes it difficult for the person to remain in their home;

Or;

The person is able to return home (e.g. following hospital or other admission) but the absence of environmental support services jeopardises their ongoing ability to remain there.

Or;

The person is at risk of being unable to continue with existing paid employment.

The person is experiencing increasing difficulty with manoeuvring or managing within their own home.

Or;

The person is unable to be engaged in full-time tertiary education or training, full-time paid employment.

Or;

Undertake 20 hours or more/week of community based voluntary work.

The financial costs of community support (e.g. home help or personal care hours) could be avoided or reduced substantially by provision of environmental support services.

And / Or;

The implications of not providing specific environmental support services would create significant financial costs of health and disability services (in the short and/or medium term).
(e.g. In the absence of a pressure relief cushion, the person may develop pressure areas and require either domiciliary nursing care or a hospital admission).

And / Or;

The emotional and social pressure is such that abuse, neglect or relationship breakdown is occurring or is imminent and provision of the specific environmental support service/s would reduce or remove this pressure.

NB: These decisions MUST be based on discussion and liaison with the local NASC provider - to determine the level of support or the potential costs and the degree of priority for Enable New Zealand funds.

The person has access to sufficient community support and/or family support to allow their needs to be met for a limited period of time short-term basis of 4-8 weeks - but provision of environmental support services provides the only long-term solution. 

The person has access to sufficient community support and/or family support to allow their needs to be met for a finite period of time - medium term basis of less than 6 months - but the provision of environmental support services provides the only long-term solution.

The persons autonomy/independence with key functions (e.g. toileting, eating, bathing, transferring, volition, core communication needs) is not possible within their own home unless the environmental support service is provided.
(e.g. the person cannot access shower and/or bathing facilities or the person cannot communicate sufficiently to make core needs known).

NB: Independence can include the need for supervision whilst environmental support service is being used.

The persons autonomy /independence with key functions (e.g. toileting, eating, bathing, transferring, volition, core communication needs) is compromised (reduced) within their own home. (e.g. they can manage key tasks, but they find it difficult or may be extremely slow).

The persons autonomy/independence with key functions (E.g. toileting, eating, bathing, transferring, walking, communication) is compromised (reduced) within their own home. (e.g. they can manage key tasks, but they find it difficult).

All other options have been explored and there are no viable alternatives available.
(e.g. a commode cannot be used if the toilet cannot be accessed).

There are temporary solutions that can be put into place to meet the persons needs.
(e.g. Temporary equipment can be provided/installed).

There are temporary solutions that can be put into place to meet the persons needs.
(e.g. Temporary equipment can be provided/installed).

 There has been a sudden or dramatic change in the persons disability status.
(e.g. The person has had an injury, illness or deterioration of an existing condition).

And / Or;

There will be irretrievable deterioration of the persons functional skills and/or postural integrity resulting solely and directly from the absence of the environmental support service.
(e.g. a seating system is necessary to prevent the postural collapse of a person who is a full time wheelchair use).

And / Or;

There has been a change in the persons support environment, such that the environmental support service becomes necessary to maintain the person at home. (e.g. their caregiver has become ill or injured or the relationship has collapsed).

There is potential for the persons disability status to deteriorate if the environmental support services is not provided at some point.
(e.g. The person may be at risk of developing pressure areas or may be liable to injure him or herself).

Or:

By virtue of their diagnosis it is anticipated that the person's disability status will continue to deteriorate and the equipment/ service must be in place before the loss of specific skills occurs.
(e.g. This applies specifically to diagnoses such as neuromuscular, neurological and other conditions where it is known that ongoing and/or rapid deterioration will cause loss of specific functional skills or postural stability).
 

The persons disability status is not stable and requires review before the environmental support services is delivered.