ACC RFP for community-led primary prevention 'anchor partners'; Court decision benefits childhood sexual abuse victims

ACC calls for proposals for community-led primary prevention 'anchor partners'

The RFP 29076777 from ACC is calling for proposals for community-led primary prevention 'anchor partners.'

The closing date so submit a response to the request for proposals is 6 May 2024.

ACC held a general provider briefing about the RFP on 25 March 2024. An iwi Māori provider briefing will be held on 28 March 2024. For details and to register for the briefing email strategicinvestments@acc.co.nz with “Community-led Primary Prevention Partners Briefing” as the subject line of your email.

According to the RFP on the Government Electronic Tenders Service (GETS):

"The Community-led Primary Prevention Partner Initiative aims to address the underlying causes or drivers of violence (e.g. social norms, practices and structures that influence attitudes and behaviours) across 13 rohe (regions) in Aotearoa New Zealand by establishing community-led primary prevention partners (“Lead Providers” or “Anchor Partners”). In Phase 1, seven rohe will be targeted to build the infrastructure for a primary prevention system. Funding for the phase initially spans 36 months starting August 2024, during which Lead Providers will establish a prevention infrastructure and build relationships with community partners to implement a systems approach to primary prevention."

The RFP also notes that proposals are invited from organisations that have experience setting up and implementing community-led primary prevention networks and workforces. It also notes that successful respondents will establish specialised local prevention workforces and collaborate with communities and existing initiatives to lead a systems approach to primary prevention.

This RFP is for phase 1 and covers the following regions:

• Te Tai Tokerau
• Mataatua
• Te Arawa
• Te Tairāwhiti
• Te Tau Ihu
• Waitaha Tai o Poutini
• Murihiku.

Proposals for the rest of Aotearoa will be invited in the second phase.

For questions about the RFP email Procurement@acc.co.nz.

The March 2024 family violence and sexual violence provider update from the Ministry of Social Development contains information about this RFP alongside other government tenders related to behaviour change support for men using family violence and helpline services for family violence, sexual violence and abuse of older people.

Related news: ACC and Le Va collaboration

ACC has selected Le Va "...as the lead partner for 16 anchor partners across Aotearoa" according to the Le Va February news release. It also noted "Le Va’s senior manager – violence prevention, Paul Tupou-Vea, said the Atu-Mai team is motivated to provide violence prevention support not only for communities and families across Tāmaki Makaurau, but also for anchor partners around the country."

Le Va is also working on a project with ACC based on developing child sexual abuse prevention tools. Also see the Le Va media release Partnering to prevent family violence and sexual harm in Pasifika communities.

Related news: Court of Appeal decision supports childhood sexual abuse victims

In December 2023, the Court of Appeal upheld a decision by the High Court that affects victim/survivors of childhood sexual abuse. The Accident Compensation Act 2001 provides compensation for loss of potential earnings (LOPE) if a person is unable to work due to a personal injury sustained before the age of 18, including mental injury such as trauma from childhood sexual abuse. Under this legislation, ACC deemed the date a person suffers mental injury to be the date on which the person first received treatment for that mental injury. This meant that people who did not seek assistance for experiences of childhood sexual abuse until after the age of 18, were not able to access LOPE.

In 2022, the High Court concluded in the case of a victim/survivor who had experienced childhood sexual abuse but not sought assistance until after the age of 18, that the date of injury being referred to in the definition of potential earner is the actual date of injury (see the High Court decision TN v Accident Compensation Corporation [2022] NZHC 1280). ACC appealed this decision. In December 2023, the Court of Appeal agreed with the High Court Judge's conclusion (see the Court of Appeal decision Accident Compensation Corporation v TN [2023] NZCA 664).

Media outlet Stuff reported that ACC welcomed the clarity given by the court’s decision and is working to gain a thorough understanding of the decision and the impact to correctly implement the decision. For more information listen to the interview with one of the claimant lawyers, Bea Woodhouse featured in the Stuff Newsable podcast also featured in the Stuff article.