Kapiti Youth Support have a message for all youth.
"Know that we are still here – just working in a different way."
As a primary healthcare provider KYS are providing an essential service with their doctors and nurses still available at their Paraparaumu site in Tutanekai St and on Tuesdaysat the Ōtaki clinic on Matene St.
KYS chief executive Raechel Osborne said they were working hard to continue connect and providing services for you with, the only change is everyone must connect with them remotely for a consultation first.
Their services also include continuing to provide flu vaccines for the vulnerable who currently qualify for it and doing swabbing and assessing people for coronavirus.
Their Ōtaki clinic on Tuesdays is also continuing with triaging happening beforehand so young people are not left in limbo throughout this time, however long it is.
Mental health services are continuing with all of it provided remotely.
"We are keeping in contact with any young people we are concerned about, ringing them, and if we see people that might be at risk with their mental health we will continue as normal to refer them to our psychologists and councillors, who are all set up remotely.
"Confidentiality in our role is really important so our staff have made sure they are not just set up in their living rooms but have found private places to keep everything separate from their home situation.
"I'm amazed at our staff, they are amazingly committed to the young people in this community."
KYS's social media profiles have been amped up as they take proactive action by putting out 'good messages and fun' through their social media channels.
"It was absolutely crazy to begin with, but everything has settled down a bit now as people get into routines.
"But I think it's very early days, and we will start to get boredom and frayed family relationships along with financial issues and people feeling the pressure of being together for longer periods of time, so we are expecting we will start getting more calls."
Raechel's message to Kāpiti youth is, "Be kind to everyone in the house, this time is trying for everybody.
