Matt Shanahan (Waterford, Independent)
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1744.To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the steps that parents should take in order to apply for a refund of private assessment fees paid, to avoid the long HSE assessment waiting lists to have their child assessed for special needs. [31053/24]

Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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A new waiting list initiative, launched in June 2024, will target those families waiting longest for AONs, with the HSE reimbursing clinicians directly through the procurement of capacity from approved private providers. This provides a more equitable and fair approach rather than reimbursement of parents directly.

All aspects of the Assessment of Need process must be operated within the AON legislation, the HSE SOP and the iHIQA standards.

In line with appropriate procurement procedures, Garda vetting and due diligence practice, private providers are contracted by the HSE to provide assessments and / or interventions.

The HSE must ensure that the contracted providers are appropriately qualified and that any assessments or interventions are provided in line with the legislation, HSE SOP and the iHIQA standards.

Some families source private assessments to facilitate access to educational supports such as special schools or classes. In many cases, these are unidisciplinary assessments which are usually accepted in the education sector.

In general, HSE or HSE funded services, in line with best practice guidelines, use a multidisciplinary approach to assessment, specifically to ASD assessment. In these circumstances, while HSE services may take cognisance of any unidisciplinary reports that may be available, they will undertake a multidisciplinary assessment where appropriate, to confirm a diagnosis and to determine the necessary interventions.

The HSE does not nor has ever directly reimbursed families for private assessments commissioned by the service user or their family from private providers. Indeed, the HSE has no mandate or financial mechanism to reimburse families for fees they have paid to private practitioners for health services.

On 21^stMay 2024 the Government announced a decision to finance an Assessment of Need (AON) waiting list initiative, through the procurement of private assessments for long waiting families. The funding of €6.89m will allow the HSE to procure up to 2,500 additional AONs, with delivery targeted over the next 6 months.

The waiting list initiative targets those families waiting longest for AONs, with the HSE reimbursing clinicians directly through the procurement of capacity from approved private providers. This provides a more equitable and fair approach than reimbursement of families directly, as some families would not have the resources, financial or otherwise to source and commission private assessments.