Health Services We Fund

Intersectoral Initiatives

PATHS (Providing Access to Health Solutions) - Counties Manukau)

Background

The PATHS (Providing Access to Health Solutions) programme is an intersectoral initiative between the Ministry of Social Development (MSD), MSD’s Work & Income division, and Counties Manukau District Health Board (CMDHB).

PATHS is part of the Jobs Jolt package, released in July 2003 by MSD, which consists of a number of initiatives that place an emphasis on assisting people receiving the Sickness Benefit (SB) and Invalids Benefit (IB) into sustainable employment. One of the Jobs Jolt initiatives, 'Innovative Employment Assistance' aims to trial new and innovative strategies to assist those on SB and IB into sustainable employment. The focus of these strategies is on people receiving long-term SB (over two years) or at risk of becoming long-term SB recipients, and those receiving IB.

PATHS, is an initiative designed to examine and address the issue of an increasing number of people in receipt of either the SB and or IB. The number of people in receipt of either SB or IB benefit continues to rise at a steady rate, increasing nationally over 40% in the last five years and 100% in the last ten years. The growth in the number of people on these benefits (SB and IB) is inconsistent with the Unemployment Benefit (UB) and Domestic Purposes Benefit (DPB) as the numbers of clients in receipt of those benefits is either stabilising or reducing. Currently, there are approximately 100,000 people nationally receiving IB and SB.

PATHS, has been implemented in different forms in a number of localities across New Zealand. PATHS Counties Manukau was the first to be implemented, and delivers a joint case management programme to ensure that clients in receipt of the SB and IB are able to access an appropriate health, career and job planning intervention to ensure that they return to work. Participation in the programme is voluntary for those clients in receipt of either the SB or IB and who are resident in Counties Manukau.

Key Objectives

The key objectives of PATHS are to:

Design and implement an integrated health and welfare service delivery model for Work & Income clients on SB and IB.

Provide appropriate health interventions to enable a return to employment for people who receive either the SB or IB and whose key barrier to employment is a health issue.

Contribute to a reduction of the number and or duration of people who access SB or IB.

Referral Mechanism

Referrals for PATHS are via the Work & Income Case Manager or the volunteer beneficiary's general practitioner.

Access Criteria

Participation in PATHS is available to recipients on SB and IB who:

Are resident in Counties Manukau (Manukau City and Papakura and Franklin districts).

Are long term (or at risk of being long term) SB and IB recipients.

Have a health condition(s) which is the principal barrier to returning to sustainable employment.

Are not in receipt of, or receiving access to the same or similar health intervention funded by Accident Compensation Corporation or any other Government department.

Health Coordination and Assistance

SB or IB client who wish to participate in the PATHS programme are able to get a referral to the programme by either contacting their General Practitioner or via their Work and Income Case Manager.

Once enrolled onto the programme participants are able to work with the two Health Coordinators to identify ways in which they can manage their health condition so that they may return to employment.

Employment Assistance

Employment assistance, currently offered under the programme, is undertaken by the PATHS Work Broker.

The role of the PATHS Work Broker is pivotal for two reasons – development of rapport with the participant and as a conduit between the participant and the PATHS Operational Team. It is the task of the PATHS Work Broker to translate the limitations resulting from the participant’s health condition into a viable employment opportunity.

In this regard the PATHS Work Broker’s role involves vocational profiling and career support. This is a time consuming task as the programme receives participants who have been conditioned to believe that they are unable to gain employment. It is the PATHS Work Broker who manages the change in "mind-set" for the participant, by focusing on the possibilities not the barriers.

The PATHS Work Broker is assisted by the PATHS Operational Team to understand the employment limitations placed on a participant by his or her health condition, and conveys these to the participant. It is these parameters which determine the type of employment best suited for the participants, so that they can manage their health condition, and obtain and retain employment.

Due to the barriers placed on participants resulting from their health condition/s, it is not viable or optimal in most cases that participants access mainstream employment assistance. A lack of coordination and empathy for their condition will result in the participants becoming despondent or failing to engage fully with the programme.

The PATHS Work Broker is the best person to coordinate the employment packages designed to address the participant’s needs. Participants require Curriculum Vitae, which are funded on their behalf by Work & Income. We have noted that external vocational profiling has not been successful due to a lack of understanding and knowledge in regards to the constraints placed on participants as a result of their health condition/s.

The PATHS Work Broker may refer and coordinate the participant into employment via the Supported Employment Service for PATHS. The role of this service is to seek employment in line with the parameters and under the guidance of the PATHS Work Broker and the PATHS Operational Team.

For further information please contact either your General Practitioner or Work and Income Case Manager.

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Published: 01-Sep-2008 | Website queries: Dr Tom Bracken