May 19, 2023
Rangatahi put in adult mental health units
The chair of the Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission says it’s not right that one in every four adolescents needing in-patient mental health care is being put in with adults.
Te Hiringa Mahara’s annual report says in the past year 159 12 to 17-year-olds where placed in adult services .
Hayden Wano says rangatahi are experiencing significantly more distress because of recent weather events and Covid lockdowns.
“We’ve reached a critical point and for us at Te Hiringa Mahara we are advocating for zero young people going into adult services and we want to see young people in distress going into an area that is supportive of them and upholds their rights and their mana,” he says.
Mr Wano says the commission wants to see more investment in services so adolescents can be treated close to home, and for kaupapa Māori services that align with Maori rangitahi.