Mental health services are comprised of several specialist mental health services listed below. Services are provided at a number of outpatient, inpatient, community-based and mobile facilities throughout Canterbury, including Hillmorton Hospital and The Princess Margaret Hospital.Community-based (outpatient) mental health services for people living in Christchurch and surrounding rural areas. Four city-based teams (North, South, East and West), one mid-Canterbury (Ashburton) team and the Rural team provide assessment and treatment for people 18-65 years of age who are, or may be, experiencing a major mental health problems.
You May Also Consider (Sponsored)
Quick Start Online Therapy: Tell Us a Little About Yourself and Get Matched With a Therapist Right for You
Take a simple guided quiz and let us know your preferences. Get matched to an online therapist right for you. Convenient and affordable online therapy from your phone, tablet or computer.
Have you been in therapy before?
Services Offered
Adult Community Mental Health service - provides assessment, treatment and support services to adults in the community, including assessment and interventions for urgent or crisis mental health needs.
Anxiety Disorders Service - The Anxiety Disorders Service is a community-based team that provides treatment for people with anxiety disorders.
Assessment, Treatment and Rehabilitation (AT&R) - The Assessment, Treatment and Rehabilitation (AT&R) Unit provides inpatient assessment, treatment and rehabilitation for people with intellectual disabilities and significantly challenging behaviour.
CAF North Community and Outreach team - Child, Adolescent and Family Community Services (CAF) North Community and Outreach team is an outpatient service providing comprehensive psychiatric assessment and therapeutic intervention for children and adolescents 0-17 years (or older if still at school) in their family context.
Child, Adolescent and Family Inpatient Services - Child, Adolescent and Family Inpatient Services is a specialist regional (South Island) treatment and assessment service for children and adolescents who have severe psychiatric, emotional, behavioural, or developmental disorders are assessed and/or treated.
Childen, Adolescent and Family Emergency - For children and youth talk to Child, Adolescent, and Family (CAF) Emergency: Freephone: (0800) 218 219 (press option 2)
Community Alcohol and Drug Service - The Community Alcohol and Drug Service provides assessments and individual and group outpatient treatment for people that need assistance with moderate to severe alcohol and/or other drug dependence.
Early Intervention in Psychosis Service (Totara House) - Totara House is a specialist multidisciplinary service for young people (18-30 years) who are experiencing their first episode of a mental illness. The team aims to reduce the disruption to people's lives by intervening early through a range of services, including community treatment and support, group programmes, and education about psychosis.
Eating Disorders Service - The South Island Eating Disorders Service (SIEDS) provides inpatient treatment, education and liaison services for people under a mental health service with a diagnosed eating disorder from throughout the South Island.
Forensic Mental Health Services - Forensic services provides specialist care for people who, as a result of mental illness, have seriously offended or are assessed as high risk for serious offending.
Mothers and Babies Mental Health Service - The Mothers and Babies mental health service provides inpatient treatment for mothers or primary care givers who are under a mental health service in their home area or acutely through the Crisis Resolution Team in Canterbury.
Outpatient Psychiatric Services for Adults with an Intellectual Disability (PSAID) - Psychiatric Services for Adults with an Intellectual Disability (PSAID) Community Team provides comprehensive mental health assessment and treatment, including case management when needed.
School Based Mental Health Team - The school based mental health team provides a pro-active school based outreach service to support schools in addressing the emerging child and youth mental health issues in Canterbury in the post-earthquake recovery stage.
Urgent Adult Mental Health Services - Single Point of Entry is a person's initial contact with the mental health services. It streamlines the way people are referred for the Adult Community Mental Health Services they require.
Fees and Payment
New Zealand has a world-leading health system which makes most services available free (or subsidised) to people who meet requirements. Some people in New Zealand don't qualify to have these services paid for by the New Zealand Government and will have to pay for their own healthcare.
Fees are subject to change, and not all treatment fees are listed. A patient must be eligible at the time they receive health services for those services to be paid for by the government. If a person becomes eligible after accessing health services, that eligibility cannot be backdated. If you are admitted to hospital, the eligibility team will confirm your eligibility and discuss the cost of treatment and payment with you. Staff will give you an invoice before you leave. We do not invoice insurance companies. We expect you to pay us and claim it back from your insurance company.
You must pay for outpatient services in advance. You can make payments at the Accounts Receivable Office on the ground floor of Christchurch Hospital. The office will give you a receipt, which you need to present at your appointment.
Services Offered To: Adults Teens
Payment: Sliding Scale Pro-bono
If You Call, Please Let Us Know How it Went:
Were You Able to Make an Appointment?
One quick last question. Who was seeking counseling today?
Do you know the reason they are not accepting clients?
A community counseling agency is a group therapy practice that offers affordable mental health services. Most are independent non-profit agencies, state agencies, or publicly-funded agencies. A few may restrict who is eligible for services, so it is a good idea to check when you call.
Community counseling agencies are generally more affordable than other therapy providers, but how much more affordable they are will depend on whether you qualify for a discount or sliding scale fee (or if they accept your insurance). Many, but not all, have a policy that they won't turn away anyone due to inability to pay. You should ask about their fees when you first call.
Expect to talk to kind people who want to help you find the care you need. Most community agencies strive to connect you with a live person within 24 hours, if not immediately. If you're asked to hold or leave a message, don't give up; just leave a message and wait. You should hear back pretty quickly.
Most agencies try to set up an initial assessment appointment within a week (some do within 24 hours), though the waitlist to start therapy is usually longer—about a few weeks on average. If you're not eligible or if the agency is not right for you, it's usually still worth it to call or drop in, because staff are knowledgeable about local options and can often refer you to one.