Free, nationwide support for people affected by crime and traumatic events.
We are here for you, 24/7.
We work in partnership with approved rongoā practitioners to provide these services to victims of some crimes.
Rongoā practitioners (either individuals practicing alone or umbrella organisations) must be approved and registered with Manaaki Tāngata | Victim Support (Victim Support) before we will refer clients for rongoā services.
If you are already registered to provide counselling services with Victim Support, you will also need to register separately as a rongoā practitioner. This is to ensure that VAS funded clients are clear about the different options available to them.
There are five schemes which are administered as part the Victim Assistance Scheme (VAS). Counselling can be read to extend to rongoā for the purposes of VAS funding.
Fatalities: Available for family, whānau, close friends, prosecution witnesses.
Serious physical injuries: Available for primary victims and prosecution witnesses.
To provide services that are funded through VAS, rongoā practitioners must meet specified criteria to become a VAS registered rongoā practitioner.
You may apply as either:
For organisational applications, there will need to be a principal contact for the organisation when an application is made. This person is responsible for themselves and all the rongoā practitioners that work within the organisation.
Criteria for becoming VAS registered rongoā practitioner for us includes:
You must be registered with ACC to provide rongoā services. You will need to provide your current practitioner listing on Healthpoint to confirm this when you apply and yearly to re-confirm your registration.
Undergo initial police vetting initiated by Victim Support.
If approved as a VAS registered rongoā practitioner, you must comply with the Terms and Conditions. These include:
Following the procedures in the "Information for Counsellors/rongoā practitioners” which you will receive once registered
Continuing to be ACC registered to provide rongoā services
Only charging Victim Support the agreed fee and not making additional charges to the client
Not exceeding the approved number of combined counselling/rongoā sessions
Liaising with Victim Support employees on matters related to the administration of the VAS
Applications are processed as they are received and there is no closing date. It may take between 3-6 weeks to process your application due to the New Zealand Police vetting process and/or application volumes that require processing at Victim Support.
To apply, please complete the Counsellor/Rongoā Practitioner Registration Form, attaching relevant documentation below.
If you have completed police vetting within the last 12 months, a copy of the result can be uploaded to the Counsellor Registration Form instead.*
You must also provide evidence of your identity:
You must provide a photo ID, and a photo of you holding this ID.
*If you are applying as the principal contact on behalf of an organisation, you will need to complete or supply Police vetting for yourself. As principal contact for your organisation, you are responsible for ensuring that any practitioner working under your organisational umbrella is police vetted and is an appropriate service provider to provide services to victims of crime. Any evidence to the contrary may result in your immediate removal from being a VAS registered rongoā practitioner.
