Rākau Ora managing director Vanessa Kite (standing, third from left) and staff welcome Hiku whānau needing after-hours mental support.
A safe space in the heart of Kaitāia has opened its doors wide this week to welcome people needing after-hours mental health support.
The Rākau Ora drop-in pilot opened in Kaitāia on Monday, with a blessing and a goal to support whānau facing mental health difficulties, and redirect the emphasis from urgent, acute services in Te Hiku to address the growing community demands more effectively.
The after-hours hub is a part of the wider Taikorihi Locality initiative — one of several population health prototypes nationwide set up under the Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) Act 2022 to influence and inform the future investment of public health in New Zealand.
The Taikorihi Locality encompasses the area bordering north Hokianga, Doubtless Bay and Cape Reinga, and Rākau Ora managing director Vanessa Kite said all Te Hiku whānau are welcome to the free drop-in hub, which will operate Monday to Friday from 5pm to 9pm and Saturdays from noon to 6pm for adults aged 18 and over.
As well as the after-hours drop-in hub, a space will be open each Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 10am to 4pm for rangatahi aged 12 to 17.
‘’When services close at 5pm, our office space offers a non-judgmental environment where individuals can take a break from their struggles, steering away from negative influences like trap houses, pubs or crime and violence.
Drawing from previous experiences in similar spaces in Australia, we have subtly adjusted the principles to te ao Māori and better meet the needs of the Te Hiku community,” Kite said.
The hub has a series of intimate spaces that allow for adults and taitamariki to spend some down time with a clinician or one of several volunteer kaimahi working with Rākau Ora.
Whānau who drop in during the evening can expect a sympathetic ear or two, a cuppa and snack, and like-minded company. Puzzles, games, and colouring are also available, and if needed a referral to local services as they de-escalate at their pace and work through their immediate mental health needs with expert guidance.
She said volunteer staff had rich, lived experience; they were also engaged in Level 3 and 4 Mental Health and Addiction Support training with the Open Polytechnic of New Zealand, so the initiative was also helping to build capacity in Te Hiku in mental health support services from the grassroots up.
Kite said one benefit of an after-hours hub was that it could act as a conduit between whānau and other organisations to ensure they received ongoing help following short-term crises.
“The idea behind the after-hours and rangatahi space is simple, but addresses a diverse range of needs. While providing immediate resources unique to their needs, our commitment extends to follow-up to ensure our whānau do not fall in the gaps. While not assuming direct case management responsibilities, we are ensuring a seamless experience,” she said.
Kaitāia Hospital operational manager Neta Smith said the need for after-hours mental support services in Te Hiku was “huge.”
Smith said there were 40 Te Whatu Ora staff working across the mental health and support services for adults, rangatahi, māmā and their pēpi in the traditional hours of Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm. Demand for support at times outside traditional clinic hours has resulted in the hospital responding to whānau needs with innovative solutions.
For example, she said, the hospital could see up to 150 “watchers” in any given year, or people who required immediate, 24-hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week medical assistance and surveillance. In response, the hospital has created an overnight safe space that caters for people of all ages and their whānau who are needing to come off substance abuse, de-escalate and be safe from harming themselves and others.
“We’ve got an overnight room that we’ve just put into the ward, where we can admit people ‘on watch’. They will be admitted to the ward where we have 20 funded beds, so there is always a bed available,” Smith said.
There is also a six-bed sub-acute unit that accommodates unwell whānau aged 18 and over who are either in the community or transferring back from Whangārei.
She said the after-hours space now offered by Rākau Ora would be a welcome addition to mental support services across Te Hiku.
Taikorihi programme manager J.J. Ripikoi said oranga hinengaro was a significant kaupapa for whānau living in Te Hiku, and the Taikorihi prototype was an opportunity for ensuring whānau had a range of supports available.
Mike Dinsdale is the editor of the Northland Age who also covers general news for the Advocate. He has worked in Northland for almost 34 years and loves the region.