Mental Health and Alcohol and Drug Services

Waitemata District Health Board’s Mental Health Services are comprised of:

1. District Mental Health Services
2. Maori Mental Health, and Alcohol and Drug Services
3. Pacific Mental Health, and Alcohol and Drug Services
4. Regional Forensic Psychiatry Services
5. Regional Work Rehabilitation Service
6. Community Alcohol and Drug Services, Auckland (CADS)

1. DISTRICT MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES

Approximately 550 staff deliver District Mental Health Services across the following areas:


Child, Youth and Family Services

• Child, Adolescent and Youth Community Mental Health Services, with inpatient care provided by Starship Children’s Hospital
• An Early Psychosis Intervention (EPI) Team
• Intensive Clinical Support Services: Regional Youth Community Team
• A Maternal Mental Health Community Team

Mental Health Services for Older Adults

• A North and West Community Team
• The Kingsley Mortimer Unit (a 17-bed inpatient unit) located in Ward 12 at North Shore Hospital
• Glenburn Hospital – a 24-bed rehabilitation facility which provides longer term care with Waitemata DHB specialist input

Adult Mental Health Services

• Mental health services for adults (20-65) are provided in each of the three main Waitemata DHB areas – ie: Waitakere City, North Shore City and Rodney.
• Five teams (two in Waitakere City, two in North Shore City and one in Rodney) provide community-based care, including the following services:
  • Emergency/crisis assessment 24 hours, seven days via community mental health team crisis staff and the Emergency Care Centres (ECCs) at Waitakere and North Shore Hospitals.
  • Alternatives to admission (crisis respite care and home-based crisis support and treatment)
• A newly built 32-bed inpatient facility (Waiatarau) is located on the Waitakere Hospital site and a 39-bed inpatient facility (Taharoto) is located on the North Shore Hospital site.
• Staff can also facilitate access to a range of accommodation, packages of care, specialist rehabilitation and extended care residential facilities.

Needs Assessment and Service Co-ordination
This service links individuals with the appropriate support.

2. WHITIKI MAUREA MAORI MENTAL HEALTH SERVICE (MMHS)

Whitiki Maurea is Waitemata District Health Board’s Maori Mental Health Service. It consists of two teams:

• MOKO Services (see below)
• Te Atea Marino (see below)

Whitiki Maurea is committed to the kaupapa of healing for Maori by weaving together Maori healing practices and Western clinical practice, thereby providing Maori Tangata Whaiora and their whanau with the best possible health outcomes. Whanau centred therapy is the driving force for Whitiki Maurea and a marae focused, wairua-driven service is the ultimate objective. The service is guided by the following documents:

• Te Pu O Te Wai Awhina – Maori Health Strategy (Waitemata DHB)
• Te Puawaitanga – Maori mental Health National Strategic Framework (Ministry of Health, 2002)
• Korowai Oranga (Ministry of Health)

MOKO: Maori Mental Health Team
Based on the North Shore and in Waitakere City, MOKO provides both cultural and clinical services to Maori service users living in the Waitemata DHB area. It also works with Pacific Mental Health Services and District Mental Health Services (see above) to ensure that Maori Tangata Whaiora needs are met. Access to MOKO is via direct referral or via other Waitemata DHB mental health services.

Te Atea Marino: Maori Alcohol and Drug Regional Team
The Te Atea Marino regional Maori Alcohol and Drug Team provides a range of services to Maori Tangata Whaiora and their whanau throughout the Auckland metropolitan area. Te Atea Marino also works alongside Community Alcohol and Drug Services Auckland (CADS) to ensure that Maori Tangata Whaiora needs are met. Access to Te Atea Marino is via direct referral or via CADS teams.

3. PACIFIC MENTAL HEALTH AND ALCOHOL AND DRUG SERVICES

Isa Lei
Isa Lei supports the needs of pacific peoples with mental health issues and their families. The service provides a Pacific biospsychosocial approach (it considers biological, psychological and social factors when treating individuals). Isa Lei works collaboratively with Waitemata DHB’s Maori Mental Health Services and District Mental Health Services to ensure Pacific peoples’ needs are met.

Tupu: Pacific Alcohol and Drug Regional Team
Tupu supports Pacific people with complex alcohol and other drug issues and their families. It also provides Gambling Intervention Services for Pacific peoples. Tupu provides a biospsychosocial approach (it considers biological, psychological and social factors when treating individuals) and works collaboratively with Community and Drug Services Auckland (CADS).

4. MASON CLINIC - REGIONAL FORENSIC PSYCHIATRY SERVICES

Waitemata District Health Board provides the following Regional Forensic Psychiatry Services via the Mason Clinic located in Carrington Road, Pt Chevalier.

Inpatient Services
These services include the 12-bed Pohutukawa Unit (an Intellectual Disability unit) and a ten-bed Kaupapa Maori secure rehabilitation unit as well as open, minimum and medium secure and rehabilitation units. A cultural centre – Te Miro – also exists for cultural activities.

Court Liaison Team
The primary functions of this team are to provide psychiatric assessment and informal advice to the Court on the appropriateness of formal psychiatric reports, any immediate clinical needs and/or diversion to Mental Health Services.

Forensic Prison Team
This team provides secondary clinical services in prisons. The team assess inmates referred to them by prison primary health services and facilitates the transfer of mentally unwell inmates to hospital for care and treatment. The team also manages the care for inmates should they return to prison following hospital admission.

Community Forensic Services
The Community Forensic team provides clinical care for clients transitioning from forensic inpatient care to community living. An Intellectually Disabled Offender Team also exists to assist with the care and community supervision of intellectually disabled persons with problems of offending.

5. REGIONAL WORK REHABILITATION SERVICE

This service is for people living in the Waitemata and Auckland District Health Board areas who, as part of their recovery plan, required specialised rehabilitation interventions to facilitate their work, career and educational pathways. It includes work assessment and experience, career counselling, consumer-run businesses, job clubs, supported employment and education.

6. COMMUNITY ALCOHOL AND DRUG SERVICES AUCKLAND (CADS)

CADS services include a ten-bed Inpatient Detoxification Unit, Community and Home Detoxification, a Pregnancy and Parental Service, a Methadone Programme, outpatient alcohol and drug services, a Community Intervention and Training Team, a Youth Team (‘Altered High’) and a Dual Diagnosis Service for people with a substance abuse issue and a mental health issue. For detailed information about all of CADS’ services, visit: www.cads.org.nz or phone AK 845 1818.