News

TalkLink has made a decision to change the way that it manages referrals to its service.

Demand for TalkLink’s services is very high, and has been high for a long time, with demand outstripping supply.

Because our focus has to be on people whose needs are the highest, most of the people on the wait list will wait several years, or longer, to be seen.

The changes that TalkLink has made means that many people who have previously been referred – and accepted – will not be accepted onto TalkLink’s wait list.

We will only be saying ‘yes’ to a non-urgent referral if we know that we can provide support within a reasonable period of time.

FAQs

Where do I find the new referral form?

Our new referral form can be found here

Will you still accept the old referral form?

No, our new prioritization system requires additional information so we will be requesting you fill out the new form before your referral is accepted.

What is happening to current people on the TalkLink waitlist?

We will be triaging our current waitlist to determine the people with the highest needs. We will be contacting referrers and whanau to ensure referral information is  up to date. We would strongly encourage you to speak to your school or other provider about access to a local CAT1 assessor who can support people with less complex or less urgent communication needs.

What do you mean by ‘highest need’?

A person considered to be highest needs is someone whose circumstances indicate a greater risk, urgency, or potential for benefit. Their needs mean that they require more immediate support and attention. It also includes individuals whose needs cannot be appropriately met through other services, due to the specialist expertise and support that TalkLink provides.

Why has TalkLink made these changes?

These changes aim to ensure that TalkLink clinicians are able to focus on the specialised work that only they can deliver, enabling clients to receive timely and effective services. They support referrers to maintain confidence in the quality and responsiveness of our service, while also allowing us to manage service delivery and workload allocations in a fair and transparent manner. Additionally, they help us address existing equity issues within the current system and strengthen our ability to advocate to the DSS funder by clearly demonstrating the gap between funding and client need.

Can I purchase equipment myself?

Yes, due to developments in technology over the years, some AAC solutions can be self purchased without the need for specialist assessment.  This can include tablets  with straightforward communication apps and voice amplifiers. Mainstream tech stores sell this equipment.

My equipment is broken – will you still help to fix it?

If your equipment is funded by Accessable or Enable then we will continue to be the service you should contact if your equipment is broken.

My referral has been declined – who else can I reach out to for assistive communication support?

For children under 21 – contact your local Ministry of Education office or key worker

Some private speech and language therapists carry out this work, they can be found here: Find a Therapist » New Zealand Speech-language Therapists' Association

Where can I access support for my child if not from TalkLink?

Your child’s school will have access to a Ministry of Education (MoE) speech and language therapist (SLT). MoE has provided training that enables its SLTs to support learners to access and utilise a range of tools to support their communication needs. You may want to ask your school about access to a CAT1 assessor. A CAT1 assessor will be able to assess needs, apply for eligible funding, and work out the best solution for your child’s needs.

For pre-school tamariki, you can speak to your Whānau Āwhina Plunket nurse or GP, who will support you to engage with child development services or early intervention services provided by the Ministry of Education’s Learning Support team.

Where can I access support for my adult whānau member?

If you have not already had one, a NASC (Needs Assessment and Service Coordination) assessor will carry out an assessment across a range of needs. Based on this assessment, a referral can be made for a specific assessment of communication needs with an accredited CAT1 assessor. A NASC assessment is free of charge to citizens and eligible residents who require on-going support due to their health needs. You can also self-fund an assessment of communication needs through a credentialed CAT1 assessor working in private practice. ATANZ has a list of credentialed assessors.

I would like to talk to someone from TalkLink about how these changes effect me? 

Please contact us using our contact form here with any questions you may have.