Our stories
Our Recovery and Families services are confidential and the privacy and safety of the people we partner are our highest priority. This section will cover our programmes and groups and our journey as we expereince them together.
All Pou Whakaaro services are now operating from 1 Bracken Street, Whakatane.
Pou Whakaaro provides support to people with disabilities, mental health issues, and/or addictions to achieve their goals, gain independence and inclusion within their chosen community.
POU WHAKAARO FOR RECOVERY
What we offer
Our recovery team at Bracken Street offer support to people with an experience of mental illness and/or addiction issues to be valued members of their chosen community in a number of ways.
Our services
Pou Whakaaro for Recovery offer a number of services including one on one and group peer support workshops, advocacy, information and referral to other services, PeerZone workshops, meetings and events featuring guest speakers, 'lived experience' support, smoking advice and cessation support groups.
PEER SUPPORT
Our Peer Support workers bring their own lived experience of recovery from mental illness and/or addiction to their support work. Their unique perspective and shared understanding can help in navigating a person’s recovery.
Our Peer Support team offer non-clinical support and advocacy to help other peers navigate the health system and get on their own path to recovery. We focus on the positive traits of the person and use their strengths to become all they are meant to be.
For each person, the journey of mental illness and/or addiction and how they achieve recovery is unique, so our service is responsive to a range of needs.
Recovery happens in the home and community, so our peer support workers walk beside you to navigate through your community and support your goals so your recovery is meaningful to you. Peer support is offered one on one to peers or in a group setting, and yes we try to have some fun while learning with and about each other.
IN CRISIS SUPPORT
The Bay of Plenty District Health Board delivers acute mental health and addiction services in both Whakatāne (Te Toki Maurere Unit) and Tauranga Hospital (Te Whare Maiangiangi Unit) for those in crisis. In Whakatāne Te Toki Maurere, provides 10 beds plus an additional bed for hospital detox.
MENTAL HEALTH & ADDICTIONS SERVICE
The Mental Health and Addiction Services provide community-focused care, underpinned by recovery and harm reduction models. The services are supported by a 24-hour seven-day a week acute/crisis service and acute admission inpatient services. The Tauranga acute inpatient unit, Te Whare Maiangiangi, provides 24 beds and the Whakatāne acute/crisis inpatient unit, Te Toki Maurere, has 10 beds.
In terms of community services, the main ones provided in both areas are:
• Community alcohol and drug
• Mental health services for older people
• Child and adolescent mental health
• Adult community mental health
Within some of these services are sub-specialty services such as eating disorders, maternal mental health, early intervention, consultation and liaison.
Consumer and family /whanau advisors are available to provide service-user and family perspectives, and to offer advice to staff on consumer and family issues. Te Pou Korkiri cultural advisors are available to provide cultural support to Maori accessing services. The services work closely with community services, including supported accommodation providers, iwi based groups, family and consumer groups.
CRISIS TEAM CONTACTS
Tauranga 0800 800 508
Whakatāne 0800 77 4545
Pou Whakaaro services come under the umbrella of the Bay of Plenty District Health Board and the Ministry of Social Development. Among other services, Pou Whakaaro for Recovery has teamed up with the Whakatāne Hospital Inpatient Psychiatric Unit (Te Toki Maurere) to provide non-clinical Peer Support and Advocacy to those who are close to discharge and may need help with the transition.
Our Peer Support team visits Te Toki Maurere once a week for an hour to make themselves available for any questions about the type of non-clinical support we provide in the community. This approach also gives the person an opportunity to connect with us before they are discharged into the community.
Our team is there to complement Te Toki Maurere clinical care, instil hope to peers, engage peers in self-care and health services, help them navigate complex and fragmented systems and promote their pursuit of a meaningful life.
Our stories
Our Recovery and Families services are confidential and the privacy and safety of the people we partner are our highest priority. This section is about the programmes we run and the events we hold. Make sure you subscribe to read the latest.
