April 01, 2021
Taiwhenua part of mental health team approach
Kaupapa Māori provider Te Taiwhenua o Heretaunga will be part of a new support service for people in Hawke’s Bay who are experiencing, or at risk of, mental health and addiction crisis.
Health Minister Andrew Little says Te Tāwharau, meaning shelter, will be a hub of community based services delivered as a collaboration between health, social services and police.
The taiwhenua will provide adult respite residential beds, and there will also be an emergency mental health and home-based treatment team, peer-support workers, Ministry of Social Development support and a police liaison.
It’s first programme of its kind where services will be based at one site in the community 24-7, making it easier for whānau to know where to get help.
Mr Little says the peer support workers will be people with their own lived experience, or who have supported friends or whānau through mental health or addiction issues.
Te Tāwharau is expected to be fully operational towards the end of June.
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