Rotorua Daily Post
  • Rotorua Daily Post home
  • Latest news
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
  • Sport
  • Video
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Residential property listings
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
  • Rural
  • Sport

Locations

  • Tauranga
  • Te Puke
  • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Tokoroa
  • Taupō & Tūrangi

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales

Weather

  • Rotorua
  • Tauranga
  • Whakatāne
  • Tokoroa
  • Taupō

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Rotorua Daily Post

Rotorua's mental health referrals rising

Rotorua Daily Post
7 Oct, 2016 06:40 AM4 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Lakes District Health Board chief executive Ron Dunham says improved health literacy has contributed to a rise in mental health referrals.

Lakes District Health Board chief executive Ron Dunham says improved health literacy has contributed to a rise in mental health referrals.

Mental health referrals are on the rise in Rotorua and the Mental Health Foundation says today's youth are facing challenges like no other generation in history.

Figures from the Lakes District Health Board show referrals increased among all age groups between 2013 and 2016.

Overall referrals increased 15 per cent to 7856 from the 2013/2014 financial year to the 2015/2016 financial year.

There was a 26 per cent increase in referrals among those under 20.

Lakes District Health Board chief executive Ron Dunham said it could be considered a positive that more people were being referred to mental health and addictions services.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"This permits our health professional team to make comprehensive assessments of their health and well-being."

He said improved health literacy and health promotion around mental health would have contributed to the rise in referrals.

DHB figures showed funding increased from $29.2 million to $30.9 million from 2013 to 2016. However, staffing levels at June 2016 were the same as at June 2013.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Mr Dunham said not every referral to the DHB's services led to complex, lengthy treatement. Many clients were appropriately referred to other health providers, including general practices or other specialist agencies.

He said the DHB was reviewing its community mental health services within the Rotorua District. That would likely lead to better, and more timely, access to clinical care.

The DHB was satisfied its funding catered for its population needs around mental health and addiction, said Mr Dunham.

The DHB figures showed those under 16 referred for mental health care in Rotorua last financial year were most likely to suffer from depressive disorders, neuro-cognitive disorders and adjustment disorders.

Mental Health Foundation chief executive Shaun Robinson said the Ministry of Health had confirmed demand on youth and adult mental health services had grown by 70 per cent in the past 10 years.

"We can only speculate as to what is causing the increase. Some research in this area is needed."

Part of the increase could probably be due to the work done in encouraging people to ask for help when they were experiencing mental health problems, he said.

"However, research has demonstrated that our young people are experiencing unprecedented levels of stress, and this is resulting in increased levels of depression, anxiety, behavioural problems, and lowered self-esteem and confidence.

"They are facing huge challenges that no generation in history has had to overcome. The economic and social environment they are growing up in is changing rapidly."

Mr Robinson said young people were also being constantly bombarded by a relentless stream of negative information from online and traditional media which suggested the world was unsafe and uncertain.

"It's a stressful time for all of us, but especially young people who are simultaneously facing the age-old struggles of how to find their place in the world."

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Additionally, too many young people were facing issues such as child poverty, sexual abuse, domestic violence and the pressures brought on by the housing crisis.

"Combined, these factors place young people at heightened risk for mental illness."

Mr Robinson said the foundation had always advocated for mental health services funding to increase in line with population growth.

"We need to consider not just the amount of funding but how it is being used. It seems timely to ask whether we're doing enough to decrease the prevalence of mental health problems by improving the wellbeing of our young people and increasing their capacity to overcome difficult times."

Mr Robinson said the Mental Health Foundation promoted the Five Ways to Wellbeing: connect, keep learning, take notice, give, be active.

"By practising the five ways, we're better equipped to cope with the ups and downs that are a natural part of life, but can, when we don't have the right skills and strategies to help us face them, lead to mental illness or distress," he said.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Where to get help
In an emergency: Call 111
Lifeline: 0800 543 354 (available 24/7)
Suicide Crisis Helpline: 0508 828 865 (0508 TAUTOKO) (available 24/7)
Youthline: 0800 376 633, or text 234 (available 24/7) or talk@youthline.co.nz or live chat (between 7pm and 11pm)
Kidsline: 0800 543 754 (available 24/7)
Whatsup: 0800 942 8787 (1pm to 11pm)
Depression helpline: 0800 111 757 (available 24/7)
Rainbow Youth: (09) 376 4155 (weekdays 11am to 5pm)
NetSafe: 0508 NETSAFE (0508 638 723), www.theorb.org.nz

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Rotorua Daily Post

Premium
Rotorua Daily Post

'Heartbeat of the lake': Iconic paddleboat set for comeback

03 Jul 06:00 PM
Premium
Rotorua Daily PostUpdated

Appeal withdrawn over unlawful removal of Te Urewera huts

03 Jul 05:00 PM
live
Rotorua Daily Post

Hail, storms hit North Island as emergency extends in flood-hit areas

03 Jul 05:00 PM

There’s more to Hawai‘i than beaches and buffets – here’s how to see it differently

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Rotorua Daily Post

Premium
'Heartbeat of the lake': Iconic paddleboat set for comeback

'Heartbeat of the lake': Iconic paddleboat set for comeback

03 Jul 06:00 PM

Damon Hagaman bought and restored the dry-docked boat with help from local volunteers.

Premium
Appeal withdrawn over unlawful removal of Te Urewera huts

Appeal withdrawn over unlawful removal of Te Urewera huts

03 Jul 05:00 PM
Hail, storms hit North Island as emergency extends in flood-hit areas
live

Hail, storms hit North Island as emergency extends in flood-hit areas

03 Jul 05:00 PM
New Rotorua police beat team to tackle 'big' retail crime issues

New Rotorua police beat team to tackle 'big' retail crime issues

03 Jul 07:03 AM
From early mornings to easy living
sponsored

From early mornings to easy living

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • Rotorua Daily Post e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Rotorua Daily Post
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP