RASNZ is New Zealand's leading provider of mental health and wellbeing support services for people from refugee backgrounds.
A charitable, non-profit NGO, RASNZ was established in 1995 to address the need for specialist mental health services for refugees, asylum seekers and survivors of torture.
Services offered include specialised assessment, treatment and liaison in order to meet the mental health and wellbeing needs of former refugees. The service works closely with health services and other agencies working with refugee background communities. A mobile mental health support service is also provided for people from refugee backgrounds living in the wider Auckland region. This service aims to provide increased access to mental health assessment and treatment and includes the provision of clinical services in appropriate community settings.
RASNZ Youth is the arm of RASNZ focused on children and youth. This service offers free school holiday programmes, youth leadership camps, sports teams and social events for young people aged 5-25 from refugee backgrounds living in Auckland.
RASNZ employs more than 40 staff, including psychologists, nurses, physiotherapists, psychiatrists, community health workers, cross-cultural advisors, counsellor-advocates, and body therapists. RASNZ is the only mental health agency mandated to work with asylum seekers and convention refugees.
RASNZ employs more than 40 staff from a range of professions including psychologists, mental health nurses, social physiotherapists, psychiatrists, community health workers, cross-cultural advisors, counsellor-advocates, and body therapists.
For a more detailed list of the RASNZ team please view the Refugees as Survivors New Zealand website.
Free
All RASNZ services are fully funded for clients from refugee backgrounds. Funding is generously provided through government contracts and philanthropic donations.
8:30 AM to 5:00 PM.
| Mon – Fri | 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM |
|---|
Arabic, Assyrian, Bengali, Burmese, Dari (Afghan Persian), English, Farsi, French, Indonesian, Iranian (Iranic or Aryan), Kikuyu (Gikuyu), Malay, Nepali, Pashto/Afghani, Persian, Shona, Sinhala, Spanish, Swahili (Kiswahili), Tamil, Turkish, Urdu
RASNZ is the lead mental health agency for all incoming United Nations quota refugees entering New Zealand. Under international humanitarian conventions, the RAS Clinical Team additionally delivers specialist mental health services for convention refugees and asylum seekers either in detention or with cases before the Refugee Appeals Authority. Based at the Māngere Refugee Reception Centre, the multidisciplinary team brings together the combined specialist skills of a group of clinical psychologists, nurses, psychiatrists, physiotherapists, occupational and body work therapists, plus 90 interpreters and cross-cultural workers to assess and treat refugees who have experienced trauma or torture. The effects of post traumatic stress disorder are only one dimension of experience for many refugees from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds. Others often experience grief, depression, anxiety and complex mental health issues which may sometimes be related to physical and medical problems such as head or body injury. Intakes of between 130 - 150 refugees arrive from all over the world every eight weeks. The mission of the Māngere Clinical Team is to deliver comprehensive assessment, initial treatment, orientation, and resettlement planning input. Refugees are referred by UNHCR, INZ, Red Cross, or AUT, and we work very closely with Public Health Services on the unique Māngere one-stop-shop campus and, particularly with Refugee Services Aotearoa NZ in resettlement planning and follow-up. Between 40% - 50% of incoming refugees are settled in Auckland. RASNZ provides referral and specialist clinical consultation follow-up to DHB and PHO mainstream community health services across the country where refugees are settled.
Mental health
Refugee / migrant
East Auckland, South Auckland, North Auckland, West Auckland, Central Auckland
Child / Tamariki, Youth / Rangatahi, Adult / Pakeke, Older adult / Kaumātua
Self referral, GP, DHB clinical services
Criteria for Eligibility
Adults, children and families from refugee backgrounds who experience mental health related issues.
The Mobile Team provides refugees with high accessibility to quality, culturally-responsive specialist mental health and support services to assist positive resettlement throughout metropolitan Auckland. Operating via hybrid eco-vehicles, the team moves around on a circuit and delivers services directly into communities such as Mt Roskill, Glen Innes, Beachhaven and North Shore, Manukau, and Henderson.
The Mobile Team is a multidisciplinary specialist unit comprising psychologists, psychiatrists, doctor, nurse, social worker and six refugee community link workers representing the Afghan, Burmese, Somali, Iraqi, Ethiopian, Sudanese, and Kurdish communities. The Mobile Team travels into refugee communities for maximum accessibility and provides mental health services in assessment, intervention, counselling, social work, body therapies and a range of culturally responsive clinical therapies for trauma, family, and resettlement issues.
RASNZ is the lead mental health agency for all incoming United Nations quota refugees entering New Zealand. Under international humanitarian conventions, the RAS Clinical Team additionally delivers specialist mental health services for convention refugees and asylum seekers either in detention or with cases before the Refugee Appeals Authority.
Based at the Māngere Refugee Reception Centre, the multidisciplinary team brings together the combined specialist skills of a group of clinical psychologists, nurses, psychiatrists, physiotherapists, occupational and body work therapists, plus 90 interpreters and cross-cultural workers to assess and treat refugees who have experienced trauma or torture. The effects of post traumatic stress disorder are only one dimension of experience for many refugees from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds. Others often experience grief, depression, anxiety and complex mental health issues which may sometimes be related to physical and medical problems such as head or body injury. Intakes of between 130 - 150 refugees arrive from all over the world every eight weeks. The mission of the Māngere Clinical Team is to deliver comprehensive assessment, initial treatment, orientation, and resettlement planning input.
Refugees are referred by UNHCR, INZ, Red Cross, or AUT, and we work very closely with Public Health Services on the unique Māngere one-stop-shop campus and, particularly with Refugee Services Aotearoa NZ in resettlement planning and follow-up. Between 40% - 50% of incoming refugees are settled in Auckland. RASNZ provides referral and specialist clinical consultation follow-up to DHB and PHO mainstream community health services across the country where refugees are settled.
Resettlement can be a long-term process and there is often a need for continued mental health and wellbeing support once refugees begin to rebuild their lives in the community. The RASNZ Mobile Team provides longer-term therapy support for former refugees, convention refugees and asylum seekers resettled throughout the wider Auckland region. There is no “cut-off” date for this service and former refugees can access the Mobile Team even years after they arrive in New Zealand. The role of the team is to provide specialist assessments, counselling, psychiatry, psychological treatment, family therapy, advocacy, and community support for refugees who experience mental health problems. Services assist clients to overcome past trauma, and to enhance their wellbeing in resettlement in order to better build new lives in New Zealand. To overcome language barriers and deliver culturally responsive treatment, the Refugee Mobile Team provides trained interpreters and community link workers who understand the culture and language of clients. The Family Service, operating under the umbrella of the Mobile Team, works to ensure that families from refugee backgrounds flourish as they settle and become part of the wider Auckland community. A major focus of the Family Service is collaborating and building capacity within refugee communities and mainstream services. Referrals to the Mobile Team can be made by the Māngere Team, GPs, schools, police, lawyers and community mental health services. Individuals from a refugee background can also self-refer. All Mobile Team services are free of charge, with funding provided through a collaborative partnership between CMDHB, Foundation North and the UN Fund for Victims of Torture.
Mental health
Refugee / migrant
East Auckland, South Auckland, North Auckland, West Auckland, Central Auckland
Child / Tamariki, Youth / Rangatahi, Adult / Pakeke, Older adult / Kaumātua
Self referral, GP, DHB clinical services
Criteria for Eligibility
Adults, children and families from refugee backgrounds who experience mental health related issues.
Resettlement can be a long-term process and there is often a need for continued mental health and wellbeing support once refugees begin to rebuild their lives in the community. The RASNZ Mobile Team provides longer-term therapy support for former refugees, convention refugees and asylum seekers resettled throughout the wider Auckland region. There is no “cut-off” date for this service and former refugees can access the Mobile Team even years after they arrive in New Zealand.
The role of the team is to provide specialist assessments, counselling, psychiatry, psychological treatment, family therapy, advocacy, and community support for refugees who experience mental health problems. Services assist clients to overcome past trauma, and to enhance their wellbeing in resettlement in order to better build new lives in New Zealand. To overcome language barriers and deliver culturally responsive treatment, the Refugee Mobile Team provides trained interpreters and community link workers who understand the culture and language of clients.
The Family Service, operating under the umbrella of the Mobile Team, works to ensure that families from refugee backgrounds flourish as they settle and become part of the wider Auckland community. A major focus of the Family Service is collaborating and building capacity within refugee communities and mainstream services.
Referrals to the Mobile Team can be made by the Māngere Team, GPs, schools, police, lawyers and community mental health services. Individuals from a refugee background can also self-refer. All Mobile Team services are free of charge, with funding provided through a collaborative partnership between CMDHB, Foundation North and the UN Fund for Victims of Torture.
The Refugee Mobile Team also consults, trains and collaborates with mainstream mental health services, to assist them in working more effectively with refugees from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds. In some cases, the team will work together with mainstream providers, and in complex or high needs cases will manage cases and deliver treatment directly. Costs and Funding All services are provided free of charge. Funding is provided through a synergistic collaborative partnership of the NDSA, Counties Manukau DHB, the ASB Community Trust, the United Nations Office of the Commissioner for Human Rights, the United Nations Fund for Victims of Torture, donors and corporate sponsorship contributions for vehicles. The NDSA contribution funds four clinical positions.
Mental health
Training - mental health
The Refugee Mobile Team also consults, trains and collaborates with mainstream mental health services, to assist them in working more effectively with refugees from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds. In some cases, the team will work together with mainstream providers, and in complex or high needs cases will manage cases and deliver treatment directly.
Costs and Funding
All services are provided free of charge. Funding is provided through a synergistic collaborative partnership of the NDSA, Counties Manukau DHB, the ASB Community Trust, the United Nations Office of the Commissioner for Human Rights, the United Nations Fund for Victims of Torture, donors and corporate sponsorship contributions for vehicles. The NDSA contribution funds four clinical positions.
Face to face / Kanohi ki te Kanohi, Child / Tamariki friendly
https://www.healthpoint.co.nz/mental-health-addictions/mental-health-addictions/refugees-as-survivors-new-zealand-rasnz/