Mental health services

Te Whatu Ora funds a number of free and easily accessible wellbeing supports.

These include face-to-face primary mental health and addiction support via participating GP clinics, Kaupapa Māori, Pacific and youth specific services. These services are free and available without a referral.

Where you can seek help

• Log on to health.nzto find a service close to you or you can call or text Need to Talk 1737 any time to talk with a trained counsellor.
• At most general practices you can phone and book in to see a Health Improvement Practitioner (HIP), a registered mental health professional who provides advice and support promoting self-management, and connects people to other services they may need. Every day, HIPs have appointments that are not pre-booked so you can phone a general practice where you are enrolled and book in on that day.
• The Depression Helpline – Call 0800 111 757 or text 4202 to talk to a trained counsellor about how you are feeling or to ask any questions.
• Youthline – Call 0800 376 633, text 234, email talk@youthline.co.nz, or go to nzfor an online chat.
• The Lowdown – Text 5626 for support to help young people recognise and understand depression or anxiety.
• Healthline – Call 0800 611 116 for health advice and information.
• Alcohol Drug Helpline – Call 0800 787 797 to speak with a trained counsellor.
• Tips and support, go to allsorts.org.nz

Free wellbeing apps

• You can download the Groov and Headstrong wellbeing apps free for android and Apple phones. Just go to Google Play or the Apple app store.

Rural Support Trusts
A local Rural Support Trust (RST) is a great place to access free and confidential support and advice. This nationwide network, run by local people, helps farming families and rural communities.

RSTs have facilitators trained to recognise issues with mental health and wellbeing. They can also put you in touch with services including health information or financial support.

You can give them a call to talk through your options. Call 0800 787 254 (0800 RURAL HELP) to arrange a free and confidential chat at a place that suits you, or visit rural-support.org.nz

Farmstrong
Farmstrong is a nationwide wellbeing programme for the rural community. Their aim is to help you live well to farm well. On their website you can find a range of resources to help you manage your wellbeing. Visit: farmstrong.co.nz

Online Workshops and Resources
The Mental Health Education and Resource Centre (MHERC) has a range of FREE workshops and resources in response to Cyclone Gabrielle for the community and the workforce – including first responders, frontline staff and others working with cyclone-affected communities.

These workshops are designed for people in the community that are wanting to gain skills and tolls to support themselves and their whānau in the aftermath of Cyclone Gabrielle.

Workshops include:

• Understanding and Managing Change – Explore aspects of perception and control and how these processes play a key role in managing change. Thursday 8 June, 10.30am-12.00pm | Thursday 22 June, 7.00pm-8.30pm
• Impacts of Trauma on Sleep and Life – Discover the impacts of trauma and other ongoing challenges on the brain, body and mind. Gain practical strategies to support regulation, sleep and life. Tuesday 13 June, 10.30am-12.00pm | Monday 26 June, 2023 - 7.00pm-8.30pm
• Recognising and Responding to Psychological Distress in the Community – Learn fundamental skills to understand and support others who may be experiencing mental distress and/or mental illness, especially from the impacts of the cyclone. Wednesday 14 June, 7.00pm-8.30pm

Register at www.mherc.org.nz. For more information contact: info@ mherc.org.nz or 0800 424 399.

Letter to tangata whaiora, March 2022

You will be aware that we have COVID in our community and we want to reassure you that we remain here to support you and your mental wellbeing during the pandemic.

Read our full letter here. It covers:

• our way of working with you - while mostly remaining the same, we may need to adapt how we operate to meet your needs safely
• services and supports in our community, including after hours
• prescriptions services
• national support 
• support during COVID-19.

Every year at least one in five people will suffer a mental illness affecting the way they think, feel, behave or relate to others.

For those affected help is available throughout Hawke’s Bay with a range of community services, within schools and in specialist hospital services. Support is also available to families/whānau.

Mental illness can affect everyone. Symptoms vary from person-to-person and can significantly affect relationships, work and quality of life. With the right care you can recover from a mental health illness.

If you, or someone close to you, may be suffering from a mental illness get the help you need – talk to someone, a family member, your family doctor, one of the many mental health services helplines.

Watch these helpful ways to wellbeing videos

Community mental health services:

• Community Mental Health South is an adult mental health and addiction team, providing assessment and treatment services. They are based in Hastings and Waipukurau.
• Community Mental Health North is based at Napier Health, and provides adult mental health addiction, assessment and treatment services at home.
• Wairoa Community Mental Health is located alongside Wairoa Health and offers adult mental health, addiction, assessment and treatment services.
• Springhill Treatment Centre is a residential addictions and mental health service.
• Day activity based recovery programmes are run at Te Puawaitanga (Te Taiwhenua o Heretaunga) and Manaia House (Whatever It Takes Trust). These programmes assist people recovering from mental illness to develop life skills for independent living in the community.
• Wai-o-Rua (Te Taiwhenua o Heretaunga) is a short stay programme for people, referred by the DHB, for supported time out to rest and re-focus.

Mental health services especially for women and children:

• The Maternal Mental Health support mothers and pregnant women who have mental health issues
• Child Adolescent and Family service (CAFS) is for children and youth with mental health issues.

Specialist hospital mental health services:

• Specialist psychogeriatric care for older people is based at Hawke’s Bay Fallen Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital.
• Ngā Rau Rākau, the Intensive Mental Health Inpatient Unit, provides support and care for adults affecting by acute mental illness with both day programmes and inpatient residential care.  The 23 bed unit is made up of 16 inpatient beds and seven sub-acute beds. The unit is light, modern and as home-like as possible, and includes a gym to help patients to get active.
  
  The name Ngā Rau Rākau means a collection of trees. By standing together, as part of the forest, Ngā Rau Rākau, the trees are protected, they are sheltered, they grow healthier, they grow stronger, they are supported and safe.