ACC Sensitive Claims: what psychologists need to know
ACC in New Zealand is best known for funding recovery from physical injury, but it also runs a specific, dedicated pathway for psychological harm: Sensitive Claims. If part of your practice involves — or could involve — clients referred through this pathway, here's what it actually is and what it means for how you work.
What ACC Sensitive Claims actually covers
ACC Sensitive Claims is a funding pathway through the Accident Compensation Corporation specifically for people who have experienced sexual abuse or sexual assault. It funds counselling and psychological support for survivors, recognising that this kind of harm — while not a physical injury in the usual sense — falls within ACC's cover under New Zealand's accident compensation scheme. It's a distinct, separate pathway from ACC's general injury-related funding, with its own referral and claims process.
Registering as a provider
To see clients under this funded pathway, a psychologist generally needs to register with ACC specifically as a provider for Sensitive Claims — separate from your registration with the New Zealand Psychologists Board. Provider registration criteria, the application process and any required training are set by ACC and can change over time, so check ACC's own current requirements directly rather than relying on secondhand information, including this article.
We haven't verified current ACC rates or session-count limits, and won't guess. ACC's funded rates and how many sessions a claim covers are exactly the kind of detail that changes and that you should confirm directly with ACC, not take from a blog post — including this one.
What this means practically, day to day
- A referral and claims process separate from private billing. Sensitive Claims work runs through ACC's own claim and approval process rather than a private invoice straight to the client.
- Documentation matters. Clear, contemporaneous clinical notes support both good care and the administrative side of an ACC claim — see our guide to what to include in session notes.
- It can sit alongside private-pay work. Many practitioners run a mixed caseload of ACC-funded and private clients; keeping the two clearly distinguished in your records and scheduling avoids confusion later.
Where Nerela fits — and where it doesn't
To be direct about it: Nerela doesn't manage ACC billing or submit ACC claims for you. What it does do is keep the clinical record, session notes and schedule behind that work organised — so when you (or whoever handles the administrative side) need to put a claim together or respond to a query, the underlying record is clear, dated and easy to find, rather than scattered across a notebook and a spreadsheet.
Frequently asked questions
What is ACC Sensitive Claims?+
ACC Sensitive Claims is a pathway through New Zealand's Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) that funds counselling and psychological support for people who have experienced sexual abuse or sexual assault. It's a specific, dedicated funding route separate from ACC's general injury cover.
Do I need to register with ACC to see Sensitive Claims clients?+
Yes. Seeing clients under this funded pathway generally requires registering with ACC as a provider for Sensitive Claims specifically — it's a separate step from your registration with the New Zealand Psychologists Board. Check ACC's own current requirements directly, since registration criteria and processes can change.
Does Nerela handle ACC billing for me?+
No. Nerela doesn't manage ACC billing directly. What it does do is keep your clinical record, session notes and schedule for these clients organised, so the administrative work behind an ACC claim is easier to keep on top of.
Keep the record behind every claim organised
Session notes, scheduling and a clean clinical record for every client — private-pay or ACC-funded.
14 days free, no card · No lock-in · We answer directly
Nerela is practice management software built for psychologists and clinics: scheduling and online booking, patient records and session notes, invoicing and reports — in one place, with data hosted in the European Union. You start with 14 days free, no card, and you talk directly to the people building the product.
Start on Nerela — 14 days free →