Pūrongo arotahi ratonga taiohi Youth services focus report
Published: May 2023
Youth services focus report - Admission of young people to adult inpatient mental health services | Pūrongo arotahi ratonga taiohi - Te whakauru i ngā taiohi ki ngā ratonga hauora hinengaro pakeke ā-hōhipera
This report is the first of a series of monitoring reports that Te Hiringa Mahara is publishing in 2023.
This report examines the trends in admitting young people (aged 12 to 17 years) to adult inpatient mental health services in New Zealand and reflects on perspectives gained from discussions with young people, whānau and family.
We want to see zero admissions of young people to adult inpatient mental health services.
Achieving zero admissions of young people into adult inpatient services will not be easy. We need genuine commitment, leadership, and a comprehensive plan to make this happen. It is not too late to start, but we certainly cannot afford to wait.
At the heart of this report are young people and whānau who shared their experiences of adult inpatient mental health services. It is for them and future generations that we stand up for a better future of mental health support.
There must be investment in youth-specific acute alternatives, including kaupapa Māori services - residential alternatives to hospital based inpatient mental health care and short-term respite care. These services can provide appropriate treatment, and a supportive culture, where young people are safe and have hope for the future.