Some young Southlanders are being referred to school guidance counsellors for mental health support as the system struggles to cope, Invercargill MP Penny Simmonds says.

"Southern DHB wait times for young people needing mental health support have increased by 61 per cent since 2017.

"In 2016/17 the wait time to access mental health services in Southland was 18 days, by 2019/20 that had ballooned out to 29 days, now I understand the wait time in this province is up to two months.

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"But some young people - not serious enough to be seen by the DHB’s Child, Adolescent and Family mental health Service - are instead being referred back to school guidance counsellors.

"Unless these young people have a mental health disorder that is classified as moderate to severe, their care is being passed on to their local schools.

"This effectively means a young person’s mental health has to become quite serious before they can get the help that they need - while our schools are left to pick up the pieces." 

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Simmonds says she's spoken to one Southland couple whose child was initially denied support by the SDHB and referred back to their school counsellors. 

"It wasn’t until their daughter expressed suicidal thoughts that she was actually seen by Southern DHB staff.

"This highlights how broken mental health services are and is a sorry reflection on a Government who is not prepared to put its money where its mouth is."

Simmonds supporting Gumboot Friday, last Friday, an initiative raising money to provide free counselling for young people

But, SDHB's general manager for mental health, addictions and intellectual disability, Louise Travers, says school guidance counsellors have a role to support students where appropriate. 

She says the aim is to help people early in the community before they reach the level of needing specialist DHB-level care. 

There is other support available to do this too, such as GPs, council and community organisations who specialise in youth services, including No 10 Southland Youth One Stop Shop in Invercargill.

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"The needs of each young person differ depending upon the type of mental distress they are experiencing," Travers says. 

"This means the treatment also needs to be tailored to the level of individual need.  

"Collectively, our aim is to provide opportunities for people to develop the strategies to cope with the pressures they are facing, be better equipped to support friends, families and colleagues, and know how to access support and health care if they need it."

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The initial step is for anyone needing mental health support is to visit their GP.  

When a person in Southland visits their GP about a mental health concern, the GP can refer them to a range of different services, depending on the needs of the patient and the severity of their condition. If their needs are assessed as mild to moderate, they are usually referred to primary and community providers. 

But if someone's mental health concerns become more significant, they may be referred to the Southern DHB’s Specialist Mental Health and Addictions service.  

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They don't have to be suicidal, Travers says, just meet the Ministry of Health’s criteria of moderate to severe mental health concerns and want therapeutic intervention from the service. 

"A large number of clients who are accepted into the service are not suicidal, nor expressing any concerns around risk."

The service receives on average 70 referrals a month. 

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Travers says rather than the wait time being two months, 95% are seen within three weeks. 

"If there is a concern from the referrer around safety/risk, i.e suicidal ideation, psychosis, they are contacted and seen much sooner," Travers says.

"If referred by the Southland Mental Health Emergency Team (after an urgent assessment) these clients can be seen the same or next day if required."

There are currently 10 people on the waiting list. 

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The SDHB services have implemented e-triaging for our referrals from GPs, which enable the actions regarding the referral to be communicated back to the GP in real time. Southern DHB also has a 24 hour crisis service available.

The health board is also "working to implement" the recommendations from the government’s Mental Health and Addictions Inquiry, He Ara Oranga. 

"This includes the introduction of new roles into the workforce, including Health Improvement Practitioners (HIPs) within general practices, and Community Support Workers, to help ensure care is more accessible. 

"HIPs are available onsite and immediately for when a GP has a patient who they believe can benefit from the wellbeing support they offer, and there are now HIPs employed at medical centres around Southern."

If you, or someone close to you, is in crisis:

• Call or text 1737 for free counselling, anytime
• Call the Southern DHB Crisis Mental Health Emergency Service – contact 0800 467 846
• Call 111
• Lifeline 0800 543 354 or 09 522 2999 or free text 4357 (HELP)
• Suicide Prevention Helpline 0508 828 865 (0508 TAUTOK0)
• Youthline 0800 376 633 or free text 234
• Samaritans 0800 726 666.