Spinal cord injury (SCI) results in paralysis or impaired function below the level of injury — ranging from partial impairment to complete tetraplegia or paraplegia. In New Zealand, most SCIs are funded through ACC (if accident-related) or Whaikaha (if non-traumatic). This guide covers the key funding sources.
ACC is the primary funder for traumatic SCI in NZ:
- Acute rehabilitation: Inpatient rehabilitation at Burwood (Christchurch), Middlemore (Auckland), Wellington
- Community support: Long-term home support and attendant care
- Equipment: Power and manual wheelchairs, vehicle modifications, home modifications
- Vocational rehabilitation: Return to work after SCI
- Treatment: Ongoing physiotherapy, occupational therapy, and specialist care
ACC funds SCI resulting from road crashes, accidents, and workplace injuries — the majority of traumatic SCIs in NZ.
Whaikaha funds non-traumatic SCI (tumour, infection, congenital):
- Disability Support Services: Personal support, community access, respite
- Equipment funding: Wheelchair and home modification
- Enabling Good Lives: Self-directed disability support
Health system for SCI:
- Acute management: Initial treatment and surgery
- Specialist spinal services: Burwood Spinal Unit (Christchurch) — national spinal rehabilitation
- Community health: Ongoing medical management and wound care
- Mental health: Psychological support post-injury
Spinal injury peer support:
- Spinal Network NZ: Peer support, information, and community connection
- Burwood Academy of Independent Living: Research and community for SCI
Wheelchair sport for SCI athletes:
- Paralympics NZ: Wheelchair sport — racing, basketball, rugby, tennis
- Wheelchair Sports NZ: Community wheelchair sport
- Sport NZ: Para-sport participation
- RSTs: Community para-sport for SCI athletes
SCI sport codes:
- Wheelchair racing (T51-T54)
- Wheelchair basketball
- Wheelchair rugby (quad rugby)
- Wheelchair tennis
- Sitting volleyball
- Para-swimming
- Adaptive rowing and paddling
Gaming trusts fund SCI services and equipment:
- Four Winds Foundation: Disability services and community participation
- Grassroots Trust: Disability sport and recreation
- Pub Charity: Equipment and community access
- Lion Foundation: Community disability services
Gaming trust SCI applications:
- Sports wheelchair (basketball, racing)
- Handcycle
- Accessible recreation equipment
- Community participation costs
Major equipment needs:
- Manual wheelchair: $1,500–$5,000
- Power wheelchair: $15,000–$60,000
- Sports wheelchair: $3,000–$10,000
- Handcycle: $2,000–$10,000
- Vehicle modifications: $10,000–$50,000+
- Home modifications: Ramps, bathroom, widening doors
ACC funds acute equipment needs; gaming trusts can fund sport and recreational equipment.
Accessible housing:
- ACC: Home modifications for accident-related SCI
- Whaikaha: Home modification for non-traumatic SCI
- HNZC: Accessible state housing modifications
- Gaming trusts: Ramps and accessibility improvements
Strong applications demonstrate:
- Independence: How funding enables independent living
- Injury profile: Level of injury and functional capacity
- Rehabilitation outcomes: Progress in physiotherapy and daily function
- Sport and recreation: Active participation enhancing wellbeing
- Equipment: Specific equipment to enable community participation
- Mental health: Psychological adjustment and social connection
- Return to work: Vocational pathway post-injury
- Family support: Carer wellbeing and respite
Tahua's grants management platform helps SCI organisations manage grant applications across ACC, Whaikaha, Paralympics NZ, gaming trusts, and community funders, tracking rehabilitation, sport, and community participation outcomes.