Evolving the Integrated Services for Sensitive Claims

Learn how we evolved the Integrated Services for Sensitive Claims (ISSC) and what the new Sensitive Claims Service will look like.

On this page

    How we evolved the ISSC

    In late 2021, we began a comprehensive effort to evolve and strengthen the way we support survivors of sexual violence. 

    Since December 2021, we’ve hosted over 200 engagements with providers, suppliers, sector groups, agencies and people with lived experience to identify major areas of improvements and develop a new service design.  

    Engagements included Quarterly Conversations and webinars with stakeholders, face-to-face engagement sessions across the country, the development of external Working Groups and collaboration with the Sexual Violence Customer Advisory Panel (SVCAP). The SVCAP is made up of sector representatives to help guide and advise on the programme of work. 

    Alongside our external engagement, we used surveys to gather feedback from survivors, suppliers and providers, internal data from the past eight years, and insights from a range of internal ACC stakeholders. 

    Through our engagement, we collected over 360 recommendations and worked with our external ISSC (Integrated Services for Sensitive Claims) Evolution Working Group, our Sexual Violence Customer Advisory Panel (SVCAP) and our internal stakeholders to determine which recommendations to take forward into the new contract.  

    Engagement activities

    See what was discussed during our engagement sessions with the sector. 

    Whakarongorau Aotearoa information sessions, 28 February to 25 March 2024

    Slide deck from Whakarongorau information sessions

    Webinars about new Sensitive Claims Service tender for suppliers, 11 March to 13 March 2024

    Slide deck for supplier webinars

    Webinar Q&A

    Small suppliers webinar recording

    Medium suppliers webinar recording

    Large suppliers webinar recording

    Webinar about new Sensitive Claims Service tender for providers, 20 March 2024

    Slide deck for provider webinar

    Provider webinar recording

    Training for Independence Sensitive Claims webinar, 12 December 2023

    Slide deck from TI Sensitive Claims webinar

    ISSC information sessions, 25 October to 5 December 2023

    Slide deck from ISSC information sessions

    Questions and answers from information sessions

    Engagement sessions with Whakarongorau Aotearoa, 2 October to 5 October 2023

    Slide deck from Whakarongorau engagement sessions

    Questions and answers from Whakarongorau engagement sessions

    Quarterly conversation, 28 July 2023

    Summary of July 2023 quarterly conversation discussion

    Engagement sessions across New Zealand, May 2023

    Summary of feedback from the May 2023 ISSC engagement sessions

    Answers to questions from the May 2023 ISSC engagement sessions

    Quarterly conversation, 31 March 2023

    Summary of March 2023 quarterly conversation discussion

    Quarterly conversation, 25 November 2022

    Summary of November 2022 quarterly conversation discussion

    Quarterly conversation, 29 July 2022

    Summary of July 2022 quarterly conversation discussion

    Online hui, 9 and 18 March 2022

    Key information from this hui

    Summary of discussions from the 9 and 18 March 2022 hui

    Frequently asked questions from the 9 and 18 March 2022 hui

    Online hui, 16 December 2021

    Key information from this hui

    Article summarising discussion from December 2021 hui

    Key themes from 16 December 2021 hui

    Frequently asked questions from 16 December 2021 hui

    Supplementary frequently asked questions provided prior to the hui

    The new Sensitive Claims Service

    After nearly 3 years of extensive consultation with providers, suppliers, sector groups, agencies and people with lived experience, our new Sensitive Claims Service contract goes live on 1 December 2024.  

    The new service includes changes that aim to improve access, outcomes and experience for kiritaki (clients). 

    Key changes:

    We’ve streamlined the assessment process to make it easier for kiritaki (clients) to access support and treatment. There will now be two assessment pathways based on need so people can access a broader range of support quicker.

    We’ve moved away from a one-size-fits-all approach towards a more holistic model that allows kiritaki to work with their provider to create a recovery plan that will better meet their individual needs. Support can include talk therapy, as well as rehabilitation services, and can be used in conjunction with group-based therapy and other services.

    We’re also increasing the support kiritaki can access after they’ve completed their recovery goals so they can maintain their progress for years to come.  

    We’ve identified more effective tools to measure client progress and outcomes. Providers will have access to two compulsory outcome measures that will allow us to see a kiritaki’s entire recovery journey. 

    For more details about the Sensitive Claims Service, please see the following documents: 

    Service schedule for the Sensitive Claims Service 

    Sensitive Claims Service Operational Guidelines 

    Report guidelines

    Report templates

    What's new

    The tender for our new Sensitive Claims Service is now closed

    The tender for the new Sensitive Claims Service (formerly called the Integrated Services for Sensitive Claims - ISSC) is now closed.

    The application form for named service providers is also closed. The named service provider application form will reopen on 3 February 2025.  

    An update on new entryway into sexual violence response system 

    We received the final design concepts developed by Whakarongorau Aotearoa | New Zealand Telehealth Services for a more effective entryway (front door) into the sexual violence response system and ACC on 27 June 2024. 

    Whakarongorau has been working with us since May 2023 to design how survivors can more effectively access services and supports, including access to the new Sensitive Claims Service through Safe to talk, the National Sexual Violence Helpline, funded by the Ministry of Social Development (MSD). 

    The front door service design is founded on work completed in phase one (May 2023 – October 2023) where high-level design concepts were developed. The high-level concepts were shared through engagement sessions with the sector in February and March 2024:  

    Presentation for Supplier and Provider - Feb and March combined pack

    The focus of phase two (November 2023 – June 2024) was to engage with stakeholders, including sector representatives and survivors, using a co-design approach to develop a high-level design.  

    Now, we’re reviewing the final design concepts to determine what’s feasible and working with the MSD to confirm what’s needed to build and launch the new entryway. 

    Whakarongorau engages the sector on design of new Waharoa

    As part of our continuing partnership with Whakarongorau Aotearoa to design a more effective entryway (Waharoa) to the sexual violence response system, Whakarongorau hosted three engagement sessions in February and March 2024 about this work.

    More than 50 ISSC suppliers, providers and other stakeholders participated in the sessions. During the sessions, Whakarongorau updated participants on the work done so far to design the new Waharoa, including the establishment of the Waharoa Design Working Group, who are contributing to the design.

    In addition, participants were given an opportunity to provide feedback about key elements that are being considered for the design.

    The detailed design efforts led by Whakarongorau will continue until June 2024. At that point, we will review the design and determine next steps.

    Integrating rehabilitation services within ISSC

    As we work to evolve the way we support survivors of sexual violence, we’re proposing some changes. One of them is that beginning December 2024 provider disciplines that were previously under the Training for Independence Sensitive Claims contract will move to the new Integrated Services for Sensitive Claims (ISSC) contract. The proposed list of future disciplines includes counsellors, psychotherapists, psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, physiotherapists,occupational therapists, speech language therapists, registered nurses, and dieticians.

    The purpose of this proposed change is to enable ISSC clients to access talk therapy as well as rehabilitation services in a more streamlined way in the future. Under the proposed new ISSC service, clients will be able to work with their lead provider to tailor their support plan to ensure they are receiving an optimal mix of supports and treatment. These services and treatment will be delivered through packages of Tailored Support for Wellbeing.

    With preparations underway to go to market with the new ISSC contract in April 2024, we wanted to make sure suppliers and providers are aware of this proposed change so they can begin to make any necessary arrangements.

    What you can do: 

    • If you are currently a provider under the Training for Independence Sensitive Claims contract, we recommend that you ask your current supplier if they plan on tendering for the new ISSC contract. If they aren’t planning on tendering, and you’d like to continue providing services to our ISSC clients, visit Find Support - Home to find other suppliers who you may want to work with.  
    • If you do NOT currently provide services to our ISSC clients and would like to do so in the future, visit Find Support - Home to find suppliers who you may want to work with. To provide services to our clients, you will need to work through a supplier who holds an ISSC contract so it’s important that you begin making arrangements and establishing those relationships now.
    • If you are an ISSC supplier or provider and would like to connect with current Training for Independence Sensitive Claims suppliers, see the list of existing suppliers:

    Training for Independence Sensitive Claims suppliers

    To learn more about this change and what it means for suppliers and providers, see the slides shared during our webinar on 12 December 2023:


    Slide deck from TI Sensitive Claims webinar

    Work continues to design new entryway into sexual violence response system

    Earlier this year, we partnered with Whakarongorau Aotearoa | New Zealand Telehealth Services to develop a new entryway for sexual abuse survivors to access help and support. This will include a supported pathway to access the Integrated Services for Sensitive Claims (ISSC). 

    Currently, survivors use our Find Support website to learn about what ACC offers and to find ACC suppliers and providers. Through our extensive engagement with the sector, we realised we needed a more effective and centralised way for survivors to access support, information, tools and treatment.   

    As part of this work, we hosted four engagement sessions with Whakarongorau in October to obtain feedback from suppliers and providers on initial design concepts. 

    During the sessions, Whakarongorau shared early conceptual thinking of what the new entryway, or ‘front door’, could look like and how it could work. Over 50 people participated in the sessions, providing helpful feedback that will be considered as Whakarongorau moves on to phase 2, the detailed design phase of the new solution.  

    As part of the Phase 2 design work, Whakarongorau will look to engage with ISSC suppliers and providers along with other key stakeholders. Phase 2 continues through June 2024, at which point we will determine the best solution to take forward to develop and implement. 

    For more information about this work: 

    View the slide deck used at the information sessions

    View our Questions & Answers document, which provides answers to some of the questions raised at the sessions

    Recommendations from the ISSC Evolution Working Group

    To support us as we evolve the delivery of our services for survivors of sexual violence, we established the ISSC Evolution Working Group in July 2022. We worked closely with this group over six months as they identified recommendations for change to be considered as part of the evolution of sensitive claims. We've consolidated their recommendations into a PDF.

    Read the recommendations from the ISSC Working Group

    Information about the ISSC Working Group

    Learnings from our ISSC survivor survey

    Last year, we surveyed survivors who received services under the Integrated Services for Sensitive Claims (ISSC) to get insights about their experience with our services and improvements they would like to see.

    We are very grateful for their generous feedback and ideas. Their recommendations will help inform our efforts to further evolve and strengthen how we support survivors of sexual violence.

    Survivor survey insights

    Improvements to Find Support website

    We've updated the Find Support website to provide more information about how survivors of sexual violence can get support for a sensitive claim.

    Find Support is where survivors go to find an ACC-funded therapist, which can include a counsellor, psychotherapist, psychologist, social worker, or psychiatrist. It’s also where they can learn about the support we provide under the Integrated Services for Sensitive Claims (ISCC).

    We made the following additions to the site:

    • information about what to expect from therapy (format and length of sessions, stages of therapy, what happens after your claim is approved)
    • a glossary of common terms and phrases used throughout the ISSC process
    • information about types of financial support available.

    These changes were based on feedback received from our ISCC providers, suppliers, and client advocates. 

    Visit Find Support to view these changes and share the site with your clients

    What we learnt from our ISSC provider survey

    Earlier this year we invited all registered ACC providers who deliver services under the Integrated Services for Sensitive Claims (ISSC) contract to take a survey. Thank you to all who participated in our survey.

    Feedback from the survey provided helpful insights from providers about the ISSC contract and what improvements they would like to see as we work to evolve and strengthen the delivery of services for survivors of sexual violence.

    Provider survey insights

    How survivors access support from ACC and MSD

    For survivors of sexual violence their journey to recovery often begins by reaching out to Sexual Harm Crisis Support Services (Crisis Support) run by the Ministry of Social Development (MSD). Many then go on to access long-term care from our Integrated Services for Sensitive Claims.

    Earlier this year we partnered with MSD to interview 14 service providers of both MSD’s Crisis Support and ISSC to better understand how this transition works and how clients access both services.

    These interviews gave us helpful insights into a survivor’s journey across the support system and about some of the challenges impacting those who provide Crisis Support and ISSC support services. This will inform our efforts to further evolve and strengthen how we support clients with a sensitive claim, and how the sexual violence system can be better integrated to support survivors of sexual violence.

    Some of the things we learnt were:

    • growing demand of services from survivors of sexual violence has increased ISSC waitlists and reduced options available to survivors
    • not all survivors who access crisis support services decide to seek help from ISSC.
    • while suppliers seek funds to cover costs for survivor needs, existing funding may be diverted to meet longer-term survivor needs.

    Read a summary of the insights

    What is Integrated Services for Sensitive Claims

    Through the ISSC we offer fully funded support, treatment and assessment services for survivors of sexual abuse or assault.

    We provide support for anyone in New Zealand, including visitors to the country, who has experienced sexual violence. We may also be able to help New Zealand residents that have experienced sexual violence while travelling overseas. It doesn't matter if the event happened recently or a long time ago, ACC support services are available whenever they’re ready.

    Survivors of sexual abuse or assault can access up to 14 hours of one-to-one therapy, 10 hours of social work, and up to 20 hours of whānau support before having their claim assessed for cover.

    The first sessions focus on building a relationship with the therapist and deciding if they're the right fit.

    For some people, a few sessions are all that’s needed. If ongoing help is needed, the therapist will work with their client to assess the level and type of support needed.

    For more information and to find organisations that have therapists who can provide support, utilise the Find Support website. 

    Find Support

    ISSC terminology

    We've put together a glossary to help you understand words, acronyms and phrases commonly used throughout the process of obtaining support for sexual abuse and assault.

    ISSC glossary

    Contact us

    We welcome your feedback and suggestions. Contact us by email: 

    Email isscevolution@acc.co.nz

    Last published: 24 September 2024