Application Panel
The HCN Application Panel decides if an application meets the criteria for HCN funding.
Who are the Application Panel?
The Application Panel is made up of experienced front line professionals nominated by the government agencies implementing the High and Complex Needs Interagency Strategy – Health, Education, and Child, Youth and Family. The members of the Panel bring a wealth of professional knowledge and experience, and are current practitioners.
What do they do?
Panel members discuss the application information from their agencies’ perspective then reach a collective decision on whether the child or young person meets the criteria for HCN funding.
The Panel considers:
- if interagency working is occurring
- if all existing services have been accessed
- the complexity and intensity of unmet needs and whether two or more agencies are involved
- what the unmet needs and service shortfalls are.
Timing
The Application Panel meets every two weeks.
The process
The HCN Unit acknowledges receipt of the HCN funding application and confirms the date of the next meeting of the Application Panel.
The Panel has a national overview of all HCN applications and it will either:
- approve
- decline
- defer.
If the application is approved you have up to three months to develop a plan.
If the application is deferred, the Panel needs more information. It is best to answer the questions and send back the answers all together, as soon as possible.
If your application is declined you can get the decision reviewed.
Meeting outcomes
The interagency management group supporting the application should be informed in writing by the HCN Unit Manager within five working days of the outcome of the Application Panel meeting.
Requesting a review of the Application Panel’s decision
You can request a review of the Application Panel’s decision if:
- the interagency team is aware of new information that should be taken into account in support of an application
- the child or young person’s needs have changed since the original application
- significant information was left out of the original application.