Christchurch’s new youth mental health facility will be
called Kahurangi, meaning “blue skies”.
The name
was announced at the Māia Health Foundation Feast, along
with news that Hann Construction has been appointed the
structural contractor for the facility, with work due to
begin next month.
More than 330 people filled Te Pae
Christchurch last night (3 September) for the Māia Feast,
an emotion-filled event that highlighted the realities of
the relentless, acute demand for the city’s mental health
services. The iconic event is the Foundation’s major
annual fundraiser and was back after a three-year hiatus due
to COVID restrictions.
More than $300,000 was raised
at Feast – the most Māia Health Foundation has ever
raised at a single event. The funds will go towards the
creation of Kahurangi – a modern, fit-for-purpose mental
health outpatient facility for children and young people in
Canterbury. Māia Health Foundation has committed to raising
$6 million for the new facility, which was gifted its name
by Ngāi Tūāhuriri. The name Kahurangi is inspired by
hope.
Child & Adolescent Psychiatrist Dr Valerie
Black told the Feast attendees Māia’s
multi-million-dollar funding will take Kahurangi from a
beige, boring space to a destination that is light-filled
and offers a sense of welcoming, belonging, and
hope.
“Thanks to Māia, this facility is going to
bring a completely different emotional experience to those
who step through its doors and we know that will make an
enormous difference to the clinical journey for our children
and their whānau.”
Dr Black is the Clinical
Director of the Child, Adolescent and Family Mental Health
Service at Te Whatu Ora Waitaha Canterbury. At Feast she
spoke with MC Mike McRoberts about the realities of her
work, describing how they are struggling to keep up with the
high level of young people who are really unwell and/or
acutely disturbed.
Michael Flatman says hearing about
the number and severity of children who desperately need
support for their mental health was
heart-breaking.
“Hearing from the frontline was
intense and, at times, confronting but it reinforced how
desperately we need to bring Kahurangi to life. It also gave
us a renewed appreciation for those who work in our child,
adolescent and family mental health service who, despite
being faced with increasing demand and incredible
challenges, change lives every day through the exceptional
care they provide and the hope they give our young people
and their families.
“Thanks to all those who dug
deep at Feast we now have $3.5 of the $6 million we need.
We’re enormously thankful for the generosity of the
Canterbury community, and we know that generosity will help
us reach our end goal of creating a modern, welcoming,
respectful facility where we can give our tamariki and
rangatahi the nurture and support they need,” says Mr
Flatman.
Māia Health Foundation has partnered with Te
Whatu Ora Waitaha Canterbury (previously the Canterbury
District Health Board) to develop Kahurangi. The $13.5
million facility is being located in the former Canterbury
Linen Services Building, on the outskirts of the Hillmorton
site. Māia’s $6 million contribution is enabling upgrades
to the facility which otherwise wouldn’t be possible,
including a separate space and private entrance for
emergency presentations.
Dr Black says in an emergency
a young person is often brought into the service by the
police and they can be in a very dysregulated and confused
state. On average the service receives 57 emergency
presentations each month.
“It’s terribly
distressing for the young person and their family, who are
often in disbelief that they’ve reached this point. When
you’re in a really distressed state having to walk past a
waiting room filled with other families and children waiting
for scheduled appointments can be horrific for those
involved and frightening for others using the
service.
“Māia’s funding will ensure our
emergency care spaces are private and confidential and, most
importantly, psychologically safe. It will preserve the mana
of the young person and their family at what can be the most
difficult time in their lives,” says Dr
Black.
Māia’s funding will also provide
state-of-the-art, purpose-built rooms at the new facility
including sensory rooms, physiotherapy and occupational
therapy rooms, play therapy rooms, observation spaces, and
dedicated rooms for group therapy, along with specialised
equipment and spaces that will enable contemporary
treatments that are not possible in the current
environment.
Hann Construction Managing Director Jake
Hann says his company is proud to be involved in this
special project.
“As a local company our team feels
privileged to play a part in strengthening health facilities
in Canterbury and to be involved in the initial works to
create Kahurangi, as we know this facility will make a
demonstratable difference to our community and its
future,” says Mr Hann.
The Māia Feast was supported
by some impressive names. Singer-songwriter Mel Parsons gave
an intimate performance, and the event was emceed by
Māia’s newest ambassador Mike McRoberts. The Live Auction
at the event included a game of backyard cricket with Black
Cap Tom Latham; a whisky tasting hosted by Canterbury
sporting legend Scott Robertson; a private acoustic
performance by Julia Deans; and an artwork by
internationally acclaimed artist Max Gimblett.
Mike
McRoberts says he’s acutely aware of the challenges youth
face today and feels privileged to stand beside Māia Health
Foundation to do something about it.
“The young
people having mental health troubles today will be the
leaders of tomorrow, they just need a bit of a hand. I have
first-hand experience of that myself as a dad and the most
important thing we can do at this stage of their lives is to
be there for them. This new mental health facility that
Māia is creating will support our mental health workforce,
our families, and our communities and I’m proud to be part
of it,” says Mr McRoberts.
Michael Flatman says
while savoring the success of Feast, the Māia team has the
$6 million target firmly in their sights.
“We need
another $2.5 million to take our child and youth mental
health outpatient facilities from good to great and we ask
everyone in our community to join us on this mission. Every
donation, big or small, will make a difference in the lives
of our community’s tamariki, rangatahi, and their
whānau.”
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