In case it isn't possible to read the scanned copy of letter:
"31 August 2010
Danielle Martin
**********
**********
**********
****
Dear Ms Martin
We're sorry, we can't fund any further treatment
Ms Danielle Martin DOB:**/**/****
Your treatment provider ***** ***** has applied to ACC on your behalf for help with the cost of your treatment. Decisions regarding treatment requests are made on an individual basis and after careful consideration of the information we hold, we're sorry to say your application has not been approved.
Why we can't approve your application
We're unable to approve your application because the available information suggests that while treatment may be recommended for your current condition, that condition is not related to the injury you sustained on 05/10/2000.
ACC believes you currently require treatment that would be best met at Segar House. The programme at Segar House will provide you with a safe and therapeutic environment that is targeted to your current presentation. The level of treatment required would not be ment in one on one counselling sessions and therefore treatment through Segar House is more appropriate at this time. This has been discussed extensively with your treating psychiatrist Dr ***** and counsellor ***** *****. A referral was to be made by Dr ***** through the DHB to Segar House for more intensive therapeutic treatment, which ACC understands you have declined.
ACC is mandated to provide and fund treatment that is appropriate and necessary and at the quality required for the purposes of restoring your health to the maximum extent practicable. Until treatment at Segar House is successfully completed, ACC is not able to provide any further treatment for your covered mental injuries of Depressive Disorder and PTSD.
What happens now
We've written to your ***** ***** with our decision and we suggest that you discuss your treatment needs with them. If you have further written medical information in support of this application we may be able to reconsider our decision.
We're happy to answer your questions
Please call us on 0800 101 996 if you would like to talk about this decision. We'll be happy to answer any questions, if you have any concerns, work with you to resolve these.
If you're still not happy, the enclosed information sheet, Working Together, tells you about the different options we offer, including independent reviews. For reviews, you need to apply in writing within 3 months of our decision. Later applications may be accepted if factors ourside your control stopped you from applying in time.
Yours sincerely
Michelle Wogan
Case Manager
Telephone: 0800 735566"
A REPORT FROM MY PSYCHATRIST, THE 'DR' REFERRED TO IN THE LETTER FROM ONE OF MY LAST ACC SUBSIDISED SESSIONS:
"02 Dec 2009
Ms Selena Dominguez
Case Manager, ACC
via email
cc:
Dr * ******
Dear Selena
Re: Ms Danielle Martin
**********
**********
**********
Danielle was seen today for review. Please find following, details of the consultation, and please note myt recommendations re ongoing therapy, and request for approval of a small number of follow-up sychiatric reviews over the coming 6-9 months.
Date of session: 2 December 2009
Session type: Psychiatric
Goals for session: Review progress and plan
Updated History
Danielle has come through the stress of the need to terminate with her therapist, in terms of no suicidal thinking for the past week and no further self-harming behaviour. However she cannot contemplate having to engage with another therapist, and having prior to this felt she was making significant progress finally and could start to have hope for the future, is now feeling that the "rug has been pulled from under her yet again...", and is struggling to retain hope that she will recover over time.
Danielle remains needing large doses of hypnosedatives to get at least a minimal nights sleep (3-4 hrs), and with nightly re-experiencing of past rape via very distressing nightmares. She is aware that when she is ready/able to cope with it, that EMDR treatment does at least offer the chance of relief of these more acute PTSD symptoms.
A long session was spent today processing a range of issues related to the recent events incl the ACC/funding issues, reviewing current treatment, and also me giving my recommendations re "where to from here" in terms of what is ideal separate from any funding constraints. My recommendations, based on consideration of Danielle's issues and my understanding of her developed over the months I have known her, and developed with condieration of her own wishes but certainly not based on what she wants, are:
i) That 4-8 weekly psychiatric overview continue for at least the next 6-9 mths, and that we look to progress a trial of stopping **********(medication) and commencing **********(medication).
ii) That Danielle has made progress in therapy since her psychiatric conditions were better treated, and that disrupting this therapy in her case is not in my opinion in her best interests currently - that the present therapy arrangements should continue.
iii) That I will communicate my opinion as above to Danielle's ACC case manager.
iv) That we review her readiness to engage in a period of EMDR over time with a view to successfully undetaking this treatment at some point within the next 6-9 mths.
v) That supporting Danielle towards greater independance is key to her ongoing recovery; she has made steady progress in this regard over the past 12 months.
Medications
02-Dec-2009 ********** 37.5Mg Modified Release Cap
SIGS : use to reduce and stop ********** QTY: 30
02-Dec-2009 ********** 75Mg Modified Release Cap
SIGS : 1 nocte QTY: 30
02-Dec-2009 ********** 5Mg Tab
SIGS : 1-2 nocte QTY: 45
02-Dec-2009 ********** 7.5Mg Tab
SIGS : 1-2 nocte QTY: 45
Yours sincerely
Dr ***** *****"
Just a girl, drowning ♥
"We're sorry"?? Unbelievable. The sheer arrogance of it. I wish I could kick Michelle Wogan in the shins. I'm so sorry that you were sent this letter and I really hope you can find somewhere safe (physically and emotionally) tonight. I care :)
ReplyDeleteDanielle you are quite right, that was very insensitive from ACC. Personally I think you have shown great determination and strength in carrying on with life and still being able to communicate via your blog and internet.
ReplyDeleteThis seems strange saying it to someone I have never met, but I am proud of you on how you have managed to get through the difficult times ACC has provided you. I only wish I could do more than post comments to help you out, but if you keep running this blog and still want me to comment I will keep on doing so. I suppose even the little things help.
Don't give up hope on getting better and living a normal life. I know you can do it and you have shown you are willing to do anything to get better.
Sorry I could not provide you with something more constructive rather than my ramblings, but take care and don't give up hope.
How are you doing Danielle? Are you safe?
ReplyDeleteThis is never the sort of information that should be given in a letter. Especially when ACC know your case history and how badly this has affected you. Insensitive, just insensitive of them.
Take a deep breath... you can get through this.
Take care,
CG
Annelise it will be a standard ACC claims template. Staff just fill in the boxes and send it. I am being a bit cynical here, but some government staff cannot think.
ReplyDeleteDanielle, keep safe. I care too :)
Hi Annelise, thank you. Yeah, very arrogant, all of it. And what they would see as something minor like calling my 'date of claim' (05/10/2000) my 'date of injury', implying I experienced all my multiple rapes on this day just shows me the lack of care and sensitivity when they haven't even bothered to double-check before sending. I know compared to the other lies in this letter it is something that seems minor, but I'm sure you'll understand that feeling of the knife been given a extra little painful jab.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, thank you for your sentiment, I know I am far from alone in having 'troubles' due to ACC's actions, but you hit the nail on the head. Funny that like-minds stuff. Deep down I feel like that guy in that movie who wakes up and there is no one left in the world, I am wading through the evening trying to breath.
I haven't been online much but when I do I check your site to see what's the latest, so THANK YOU for your efforts.
And Chris... your kind words and thoughts are always appreciated, don't know what I'd do now without you commenting! Even though the greater purpose of my blog is to make sure there is a record of what has happened with ACC and my Sensitive Claim ergo it's not meant to be or can be about some instant and magic solutions...however I am human and this has been an unbelieveably painful time since I started this blog, sometimes I now go days without any contact with anyone... anyway, what I am trying to get to is that I know there are some people 'out there' that care about me BUT it's actually really nice to have a comment when I've just made a blog post... cause I'm putting a little bit of me 'down on paper' and I am human and worried about judgement. I guess I rely on you (AND ANY OTHER READERS...IF THERE ARE ANY!) to reassure me a bit. That what I've written is ok. Probably when I started writing last year I didn't need this reassurance, but the truth is that I am so hollowed out and insecure as a result of EVERYTHING, that it really is nice to hear what you have to say about my postings, your comments arn't ramblings for me, they are support, so thank you.
AND... ANYONE ELSE READING THIS BLOG, I appreciate your comments and thoughts on this so please feel free to share. I let through all rationally written comments, so if it's constructive criticism that's okay, just no personal attacks right now please, don't think I could handle it.
Thank you for replying. It is nice to be appreciated by someone you are trying and want to help. Especially someone who has difficulties connecting with others.
ReplyDeleteI suppose I am a little unsure what to say and whether what I say will be accepted... also I don't want to say or do the wrong thing.
It is kind of strange, but a good feeling knowing you are waiting for me to comment on your blog post. It makes me smile which people who know me is a difficult thing to do.
Hi Danielle,
ReplyDeleteSorry if you thought my last comment was insensitive in any way. In was not intended as such.
I've been on the receiving end of letters like this, so I know how they can destroy what little thread of hope you may have been hanging onto.
Please reach out if you need to. People out there do care. I do.
One moment at a time.
Take care,
CG
So sorry to read this! Makes me angry... if only my anger could fix your situation.
ReplyDeleteHow much further inforamtion do they require? It is so bad that ACC undermine your own treatment providers. Are your treatment providers no longer "able" to be trusted? ACC... what a joke!
Thinking of you! xox
Hey CG... no, your comments are so-never insensitive... for some reason both of them only showed up in my inbox today...even though it's obviously from before now, maybe blogspot was having some sort of issues. And thank you, you hit the nail on the head, I feel like you just 'know' from what you say. Any thoughts of trying to get some dishes done, or wash the dog, make some food, whatever... just go TOTALLY out the window after reading my ACC correspondence. I think I spend more time in a dissociative state now than not, like a zombie under-water but whenever I try and surface for air am blinded by confusion and experience stabbing pains driving me back down. Thank you for your words and your care, sending some Hugs and Healing Vibes back to you.
ReplyDeleteAnd Lisa (grm), I know I guess, for me I suppose the anger is somewhere, but thank you. It's validating to read what you've written and not just me who can see the 'wrong-ness'. It has gone so far past 'not fair' to now just being unbelievably wrong that my head and my heart and my body are having trouble comprehending and coping with this reality that I am being thrown. I get the feeling that they think this is some sort of game to be won, and don't realise that I am a real person and that I matter and that just because I have been public with part of my story and my treatment around my ACC Sensitive Claim that means that I am now a target or something, or need to be made an example of. I have heard of some people now who got there subsidised therapy stopped that it has now been re-instated and that there has been back payment for sessions they needed this year. Someone told me recently that ACC will never say sorry to me, no matter what.
I wonder do they think that if the just push me enough that they think one day I'll wake up and go 'oh, this is way too hard having PTSD and these nightmares and 'BEING' a rape victim, I'll just leave it all and go and 'do' something else'. If only.
Thanks for your kindness, know you have stuff going on too and hope you are doing okay x
From my experience with the Government, they do not like to admit mistakes, but there are always people there who are willing to fix them once the decision process is complete. Yeah they have a decision making process to make a decision, like Ents in Lord Of The Rings.
ReplyDeleteI am not sure what ACC is thinking but I would hope it is not what you described I know where I would want my ACC levies and tax dollars going. The few people you have made aware of and a couple I may have known in the past seem very nice people.
It is difficult for most people to understand what you are going through. I had been through depression for a number of years, I am not sure at what level as I am reluctant to diagnose myself. Sometimes I struggle to understand to the full extent what you are feeling, but I can imagine what you are going through and it is not pleasant at all. I have great respect for you and the anonymous and not so anonymous others to have the courage to get through and build a normal life. On another note, you do a great job of describing things which are quite obviously painful.
I don't know what I am trying to say there, but maybe I understand on some level what you are going through and I know you will get through it.
My experiences are different to yours, but anger never seems to resolve anything and I got through day by day working things out... but it did take a very long time. You are a strong and brave person, more so than me, and you seem to have a good collection of friends around who are willing to help out. Don't be afraid to reach out.
That is a lot of commenting from me, maybe I should start my own blog before I hijack yours and start typing more than you do :) (I couldn't compete, you are a far better writer than me.)
Take care of yourself and don't give up hope. I do enjoy reading your blogs, helping out where I can and offering support.
The review panel's report is out! http://admin.beehive.govt.nz/webfm_send/13 I'm reading it carefully - it's taking a while but it's distracting me from aftershocks. It's a big kick in the pants for ACC. I'm only up to page 11 but all that effort we put into fighting that damned pathway seems to have worked. I don't want to get too excited yet!
ReplyDeleteAnd guess what? A big part of the recommendations is about communication with clients, which needs to be improved "as a matter of urgency". We won't be seeing horrible letters like this any more! :)