Effort to guide youth on alcohol and drugs

Waikato and Northland are joining forces today in an effort to provide better alcohol and drug treatment services in their respective communities.

Members of Waikato-based health provider Raukura Hauora O Tainui are being welcomed by powhiri to Kawakawa's Ngati Hine Health Trust at 9.30am.

Acting Ngati Hine Health Trust chief executive Maxine Shortland says both providers have strong mental health units with established alcohol and drug programmes.

The health trust's board chair Gwen Tepania-Palmer summed up the purpose of the visit as to "strengthen whanaungatanga [relationships and common interests in advancing and accelerating development], manaakitanga [sharing capacity and capability], and matauranga [sharing each other's journey]."

Raukura Hauora O Tainui covers the Waikato region up to south Auckland, employing 170 staff and providing a wide range of health services to communities throughout the region, she said.

Raukura Hauora O Tainui operations manager Joyce Maipi said sharing experiences between regions will help both providers better their alcohol and drugs services, despite the variables between the communities. "Northland has many more isolated rural communities whereas we are quite urban so it's not too hard to get to people."

Ms Maipi will be joining her chief executive Wayne Mclean, chairman Taitimu Maipi, a Raukura Hauora O Tainui trustee Tuku Morgan and some of its health practitioners visiting the Ngati Hine Health Trust today.

The delegation will also get shown other key Ngati Hine Health Trust projects, such as the recently completed housing development at Moerewa and Te Mirumiru, the design award winning early childhood centre at Kawakawa.