The Mental Health Commissioner independently monitors and advocates for improvements to mental health and addiction services, under delegation from the Health and Disability Commissioner.We advocate for improvements to mental health and addiction services by:
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Services Offered
Mental Health Services - Our qualified team will work alongside you and your family and whanau in your own home and community. We'll develop a personalised support plan that meets your goals and help you overcome the challenges you are facing.
* Develop practical skills that you can use every day * Manage your medication * Recover from an acute episode * Rebuild your resilience * Gain greater confidence and self-esteem * Identify your strengths and work towards your goals * Establish affordable accommodation * Build stronger social networks and connections * Get more involved in your local community.
Positive Behaviour Support - Positive behaviour support focuses on understanding a person's needs and supporting them and the people around them to experience a better quality of life. Through doing this we also reduce behaviours that challenge. At Explore we believe that all behaviour is a form of communication and that to understand behaviour we need to first understand the person, their strengths and needs, as well as their situation. We work in practical ways to develop peoples' skills to manage and cope with challenges. We work in partnership with people and their wider support networks. Any plan will be developed collaboratively and include the family and other supporters to ensure everyone is aware of their role and responsibilities and actions can be monitored, reviewed and adjusted. This approach ensures the least restrictive and most effective interventions can have the most durable and positive impact before we finish our work.
Autism programmes - The ASD Plus - Education for Families Programme is for parents, family/ whanau and caregivers of a young child with a diagnosis of autism. The programme supports participants to better understand the way in which their child thinks, learns and experiences the world. It aims to introduce participants to a range of practical strategies that support positive interactions and skill development. The programme is jointly funded by the Ministries of Health and Education. There is no cost to participants.
Fees and Payment
Services are free for eligible New Zealand residents via Community Mental Health Services and we also support privately paying clients. This is also a registered charity.
Services Offered To: Adults Teens
Payment: 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.