Gudrun Frerichs, PhD

16 Sessions Funded For Sexual Abuse Counselling

Survivors of sexual abuse can access now 16 sessions of counselling funded by ACC when they either lodge a new claim or have lodged a claim recently and are still waiting for a decision from ACC.

This funding was made available after the independent review panel has sharply criticised ACC's handling of sexual abuse claims.

Survivors who have felt discouraged to lodge a claim will now be able to contact a therapist and start a course of 16 sessions. For many survivors that will be all they need. Those who need further sessions will need to go through some assessment procedure. How that procedure will look like is currently unclear, because the review panel has instructed ACC to devise a process that guarantees client safety.

If you are thinking of starting sexual abuse counselling funded through ACC and you live in the proximity of Takapuna, you can follow the link or contact me on 027-486.3770

Come to the summit tomorrow!

 Hi everyone, don't forget to put your walking boots on and come to the first National Sexual Abuse Survivor Summit in Auckland, Takapuna, AUT Akoranga Drive, AF Building.

See you all there!

The Impact of the New ACC Pathway on Survivors

 Survivors have spoken out about their experiences with the new clinical pathway introduced by ACC in October 2009. We are still collecting responses, so if you haven't taken the survey yet, go to the survey page and fill it out. The results from this survey will be presented to the Review Panel appointed by the Minister for ACC, Nick Smith. In total 103 survivors have filled out the survey. In the following you can read their answers to the question "Comment on your overall experience with the New ACC pathway": 

Read more here

ACC Sensitive Claims Review Announced

Check out the following press release by New Zealand Government at 3:41 pm, 26 Apr 2010. It is erstounding that Nick Smith is keep paroting that the new clinical pathway is based on the Massey research - even though Massey has rejected this claim. Indeed, nothing in the Massey research resembles the new clinical pathway.

The Poison Chalice

Kyle McDonald has written this critical piece on the 2nd of April in his blog "Off The Couch".

"I'm pretty optimistic by nature, so forgive my spin on this one. Maybe it’s also just my need to feel like we are actually making a difference. But I honestly believe we are.

 It seems ACC are unable to find a “reviewer” for the new clinical pathway. Rumours are two have been approached, and turned it down flat. So how is this a victory? First some background.

Over six months ago now, I started an online petition. Many of you signed it, and with the support of Lynne Pillay MP and the Labour party I took it to parliament and it was thrown at Nick Smith’s feet. (Not literally of course, but it makes a nice story.) His response was classic, throw ‘em off the scent politicking, namely promise a review, at some stage in the future. I say politicking because, hey presto, the news story went away almost overnight.

And so since then we have all had to battle on under this abusive new pathway and beleaguered but far from worn out, here we all are at the six month mark.   Continue Reading

How Not to Answer Questions

I found a few UTube clips that demonstrate where ACC and the current government might have learnt how to deal with uncomfortable questioning around the new clinical pathway which is, if you remember, in the best interest of clients: Keep repeating your 'agenda' and by all means, don't answer the question. Keep hanging in there!!!

ACC And the 180 Degree Turn-Around

Ah, I am having an ACC morning! I made the mistake googling ACC news and this is what get my little brain going:

By law, ACC can only accept sensitive claims from those diagnosed with a mental injury resulting from the sexual abuse they’ve suffered. Other agencies are available to assist sexual abuse survivors who have not developed a diagnosed mental injury. (See here the full news item)

The government has recently come up with the brilliant idea to involve victim support for SA survivors. What a great idea. They should be applauded. Certainly the board from ACC will be pleased having found someone who'll do ACC's work for nothing.

ACC's Mishandling of Sexual Abuse Claims

This is the second instalment of accounts from NZAP members of recent experiences with the SCU of ACC until February 2010.  The stories which have been sent since the last report are included here.

While some claims were lodged before the introduction of the new pathway, they seem to be subjected to the same criteria as the new.

This is a very typical comment from therapists’ recent experience:
“At the Centre that I work from together with four other ACC registered psychotherapists, new ACC referrals are virtually non existent - and we are still having clients processed dating back to May with declines in almost all cases. These are the first declines ever in our history of over 15 years of ACC work!”

Recent experience of blocks to clients’ ability to access therapy are based on a number of factors. Some of these are listed here. The numbers relate to the itemised comments below from #53 onwards and in the previous post with stories collected until December 2009 from # 1 - 52.

ACC's Mishandling of Sexual Abuse Claims

This is the second instalment of accounts from NZAP members of recent experiences with the SCU of ACC until February 2010.  The stories which have been sent since the last report are included here.

While some claims were lodged before the introduction of the new pathway, they seem to be subjected to the same criteria as the new.

This is a very typical comment from therapists’ recent experience:
“At the Centre that I work from together with four other ACC registered psychotherapists, new ACC referrals are virtually non existent - and we are still having clients processed dating back to May with declines in almost all cases. These are the first declines ever in our history of over 15 years of ACC work!”

Recent experience of blocks to clients’ ability to access therapy are based on a number of factors. Some of these are listed here. The numbers relate to the itemised comments below from #53 onwards and in the previous post with stories collected until December 2009 from # 1 - 52.

Nick Smith's Mismanagement Hurts CSA Survivors

Media Statement  from Lynne Pillay, Labour MP

Victims and survivors of sexual abuse are caught in a bureaucratic nightmare that has seen just 32 people approved for counselling nationally in the first two months of this year, Labour’s Victims Rights spokesperson Lynne Pillay says.

“In January and February 2009 ACC approved 472 sensitive claims enabling survivors of sexual abuse to access the counselling services they need. This year however just 32 people nationally have had their cases for counselling approved for the same period.

“While 112 people have had their cases for ACC support declined and hundreds of people are languishing in no man's land waiting for their claims to be processed,” Lynne Pillay said.