The Intellectual Disability (Compulsory Care and Rehabilitation) Act and its companion Act the Criminal Procedure (Mentally Impaired Persons) Act, allow the courts to make a compulsory care order for people with an intellectual disability who are charged with, or convicted of an imprisonable offence.
There are three ways people can become subject to the Act:
The Act provides for two different levels of care:
Disability Services, part of the Health and Disability National Services Directorate, funds a number of services to support the administration of the Act and provides services for people under compulsory care orders, and people with an intellectual disability who require intensive services (the “civil population”).
Referrals to RIDCA can be made from NASC organisations.
A Regional Intellectual Disability Supported Accommodation Service provides community assessment beds, residential and day activities. These services are regionally based in the five main centres Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin.
Referrals to these services are made by RIDCA.
Regional Intellectual Disability Secure Services (RIDSS) provide hospital level secure services and assessment beds. These services are supported by multi disciplinary teams specialising in intellectual disability. National Intellectual Disability Secure Services (NIDSS) offer forensic level hospital secure services and operate in Auckland and Wellington.
Referrals to these units are made by RIDCA and RIDSS.
Page last updated: 8 September 2009