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This page was last updated at 10:10AM on April 24, 2013

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Public Service

Auckland DHB Community Mental Health Services (Adult)

Description

 Community Mental Health Centre Hours

   
Cornwall House Monday to Friday: 8.00am - 5.00pm (Reception 8.30am - 5.00pm)
Manaaki House Monday to Friday: 8.30am - 5.00pm (Reception 8.30am - 5.00pm)
St Lukes Centre Monday to Friday: 8.00am - 5.00pm (Reception 8.30am - 5.00pm)
Taylor Centre Monday to Friday: 8.00am - 4.30pm (Reception 8.30am - 4.30pm)
Community Acute Service 7 days a week, 24 hours - Tel: 0800 800 717  

 For urgent assistance after hours 7 days a week: 0800 800 717

Community Mental Health Service
The Auckland District Health Board (DHB) Community Mental Health services provide a range of services for adults with moderate to severe mental illness or psychological distress. Services are provided via multi-disciplinary teams which include psychiatrists, nurses, psychologists, occupational therapists, social workers.

The following services are provided:
  • Community Acute Service (24 hours, 7 days a week) - includes crisis assessment and acute home based treatment.
  • Care and Recovery. Most clients receiving treatment will have their care coordinated by a key worker, who is a member of the multi-disciplinary care and recovery team. The key worker takes responsibility for coordinating the specific service each person needs. Clients are able to access a range of more specialist services via the Care and Recovery Teams, for example: CBT, DBT, dual diagnosis, family support, a range of therapeutic groups or individual interventions, access to the trans-cultural or Asian Mental Health Service. 
  • Early intervention (a multi-disciplinary intensive service for adults aged 18 - 30 who experience a first episode of psychosis).
  • Assertive Community Outreach Service (ACOS): wrap around intensive services for clients with very high and complex needs. This multi-disciplinary team is based at St Lukes Community Mental Health Centre, providing services across the Auckland DHB area. 
  • Service Coordination: needs assessment and coordination to assist clients to access a range of community based support services, including mental health residential rehabilitation services.

For more consumer resource information for you and your family please click here to access New Zealand Guidelines Group website.

Referral Expectations

You may be referred to a Community Mental Health Centre (CMHC) by your GP if your symptoms are severe and you are having difficulties functioning in your everyday life.  Sometimes there may be a waiting period before you are offered an appointment at the CMHC. If your problem is very urgent, you will be seen the same day you are referred.  
 
When you first come to the CMHC,  you will usually be assessed by two health professionals, for example, a doctor and a nurse. Following completion of the assessment, you may be assigned a key worker, who is a member of the multi-disciplinary team. This person will coordinate  your ongoing care and support in the CMHC and in the community. The multi-disciplinary team (MDT)  is a group of experienced mental health professionals including  Psychiatrists, Registered Nurses, Psychologists, Social Workers  and Occupational Therapists. At times, doctors who are training to be psychiatrists (registrars) may be part of your care. CMHCs also provide training for a range of health professionals e.g. student nurses.  Students are supervised by a health professional in the CMHC and you will always be asked to agree to have a student involved with your care.
 
Our aim is to provide recovery focused services and after a period of assessment, treatment, support and rehabilitation with the CMHC team,  you will become well  enough to be discharged back into the care of your GP. The CMHC will discharge you only after consultation with yourself, your family (whanau) or other significant person (if involved in your care and treatment) and your GP. 
 
Once discharged, you may be referred back  to the CMHC by your GP at any time you need more intensive or specialist help.  Usually all referrals, assessments and interventions will be done with your consent but if you are so mentally unwell that you have no awareness of your health and are consequently unable to agree to treatment, then your treatment and care will be compulsory under the Mental Health (Compulsory Assessment and Treatment) Act 1992. This Act is designed to provide assessment and safe treatment without causing you further harm of any sort. As soon as you are well and safe enough, you will be discharged from under the MH (CAT) Act 1992.

Common Conditions

  • What is Mental Illness?

    Mental illness is a clinically significant behaviour or psychological (to do with the mind) disorder that is associated with distress or disability.… More

  • Depression

    Depression is a mood disorder. Emotional states like sadness, ‘feeling blue’ or tearfulness are part of normal human experience.… More

  • Anxiety Disorders

    We all feel some anxiety at some time or other.… More

  • Bipolar Disorder/Manic Depression

    This is a mood disorder in which both depressive (persistent low mood) and manic (elevated or high mood) episodes are experienced.… More

  • Schizophrenia

    Schizophrenia is a serious mental disorder that affects about 1% of the general population.… More

Charges

Non NZ residents may be charged for some services. Emergency psychiatric services or services provided under the Mental Health Act are free.

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Website

www.adhb.govt.nz

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Choose one of the locations above for address and contact information.

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