What is the HCN Unit?
The HCN Unit supports the High and Complex Needs Interagency Strategy by:
- supporting interagency collaboration
- collecting and managing information
- allocating funding for Interagency Plans
- reporting to Ministers and stakeholders.
The HCN Unit does not:
- do casework
- employ service coordinators
- implement the plans at a local level.
Allocating funding
The HCN Unit is responsible for allocating funding for locally developed and managed Interagency Plans.
These Interagency Plans support children, young people and their families who have the highest and most complex unmet needs to access the right mix and type of services that will have the most impact on their lives.
Each year, between 70 and 100 children and young people will receive support from HCN funding.
Who works in the HCN Unit?
The Unit has:
- A Unit Manager
- A Leader Professional and Practice Development responsible for the leadership and management of the team of HCN Advisors.
- HCN Advisors based in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch who support local managers and interagency teams with advice about HCN processes.
- A small team of support people.
HCN Organisational Structure
HCN Unit Roles
Job descriptions for each role can be found at www.hcn.govt.nz
HCN UNIT MANAGER
Manages the HCN Unit and supports the implementation of the High and Complex Needs Interagency Strategy through the Unit’s functions.
PERSONAL ASSISTANT
Personal assistant to the Manager, also provides administrative support for the operation of the HCN Unit.
ADMINISTRATION SUPPORT
Administers the business processes of the HCN Unit’s funding. Ensures that meeting papers, correspondence, and client information is accurate and updated after each cycle of applications and funding decisions.
ANALYST
Assists the implementation of the policy direction of the High and Complex Interagency Strategy through the development of operational policy and project work for the HCN Unit.
COMMUNICATIONS ADVISOR
Provides communications expertise to the HCN Unit to enable effective communication.
LEADER PROFESSIONAL AND PRACTICE DEVELOPMENT
Fulfils the professional leadership and management role for the team of HCN Advisors.
HCN ADVISORS
HCN Advisors guide local managers, professionals and interagency teams through collaborative and funding processes. This includes guidance on effective collaboration as well as on HCN processes to identify, prioritise, apply, plan and review the effectiveness of interventions that HCN funds. The HCN Advisors don’t advocate for the child or the interagency team.
GOVERNANCE
Leadership for the High and Complex Needs Interagency Strategy and direction for the HCN Unit is provided by a Governance Board of senior managers who represent the Chief Executives of the Ministries of Health, Education and Social Development, including the Child, Youth and Family service line.
How the HCN Unit makes its decisions
The HCN Unit has two decision-making panels:
- The Application Panel, made up of experienced frontline professionals from each sector, which decides if an application meets the HCN eligibility criteria.
- The Plan Approval Panel decides if the proposed Plan will meet the needs of the child or young person, and approves funding for the Plan. The Plan Approval Panel also considers Plan Reviews and funding change requests.
See the fact sheets on each of these Panels.