Programme Areas

Mental health

Programme Type

Counselling and support

Regions

Canterbury

Age Groups

Adult / Pakeke

Referral Types

GP, DHB clinical services

Referral Process

Referrals need to be made from health professionals via Community Support Services Access Pathway (CAP). Please contact your Doctor or Specialist Mental Health Case Manager to discuss requesting a Community Support Worker.

This service assists people with a primary diagnosis of a psychiatric illness, over the age of 18 and who live in the Canterbury region.

See here for access information and referral forms.

Description

Community Support Services are provided in Christchurch urban areas, and rural districts of Ashburton, Rangiora and North Canterbury, Selwyn and Banks Peninsula.

Community Support Work offers assistance with the activities that form part of an individual’s daily life.  

A Continuing Support Service is available for people with long term support needs.

Read more about our community support services here

Programme Areas

Mental health

Programme Type

Counselling and support

Regions

Canterbury

Age Groups

Adult / Pakeke

Referral Types

DHB clinical services

Referral Process

See here for access information and referral forms.

Description

Our Community Integration Service (CIS) finds positive, creative solutions for people who are perceived by others, or view themselves to be ‘stuck’ in hospital or residential services, when clinically they do not require that level of care.

The service works with people who have complex social or other issues that create barriers for successful community living and supports them to problem-solve a pathway forward to independent living. 

This team also work with people experiencing multiple admissions and problematic community support experience.

Read more about our Community Integration Service here.

Programme Areas

Mental health

Programme Type

Counselling and support

Regions

Canterbury

Age Groups

Adult / Pakeke

Referral Types

Self referral, GP, DHB clinical services

Referral Process

See here for access information and referral forms.

Description

Activelinks provides support to “get active” through increasing participation in physical activity, sport, recreation and leisure pursuits. The aim of the service is to promote independence and involvement in community life with a focus on health and wellbeing. Support can be individual or through a group.

Read more about Activelinks here.

Programme Areas

Mental health

Programme Type

Peer / advocacy / group / family whānau support

Regions

Canterbury

Age Groups

Adult / Pakeke

Referral Types

Self referral, GP, DHB clinical services

Referral Process

Peer Support is for anyone who is struggling with mental illness. People can self-refer, be referred by SMHS, their GP or other community services.

See here for access information and referral forms.

Description

Peer Support Service supports people, through shared experience, to make sense of what is happening for them and how they want to move forward. A Peer Supporter can meet regularly with a person face to face or support can be given over the phone, which means we’re able to offer peer support services all across Christchurch and Canterbury.

Percival House service is a Peer Support service which provides group and/or individual support for people experiencing mental health issues in North Canterbury.

Peer Health Coaching helps a client identify ways to improve their own health and well being and provides short term coaching and support. Peer health coaches work with a person on a specific health related goal over 6 sessions (plus a pre and post meeting). Coaching activities promote successful outcomes through motivational interviewing and attention to strengths, needs and goals.

Programme Areas

Mental health

Programme Type

Workforce training - mental health

Regions

Canterbury

Age Groups

Adult / Pakeke

Referral Types

Self referral

Referral Process

Contact us here for more information.

Description

Comcare’s Peer Support Service provides regular training in Intentional Peer Support (IPS) for individuals and organisations. The training, which takes 30 hours (generally run over 6 weeks), is valuable to people currently working or considering peer support roles or as a self-development opportunity. Peer supervision is also available, either in groups or individually.

Read more about Intentional Peer Support here.

Programme Areas

Mental health

Programme Type

Supported employment

Regions

Canterbury

Age Groups

Adult / Pakeke

Referral Types

Self referral, GP, DHB clinical services

Referral Process

See here for access information and referral forms.

Description

Pre-employment Support. Jobconnect assists people to explore their vocational interests and provides opportunities for personal development through individual and group work. The pre-employment service enables people to fully explore the idea of working and sets them on their way, either independently or accompanied, to seek work, education or other meaningful occupations.

Support will also be offered to select and enrol in education that is in line with the person’s employment goals or to help clarify their direction. Ongoing support will be provided by peer support groups, study groups, and individual support.

Supported Employment provides a full employment search and support service to both job seekers and employers. For those unsure about career or work choice, information and advice is part of the service, as well as assisting people select suitable training options if they wish to update their skills as part of their employment seeking journey.

Our Employment Consultants work one-to-one with people throughout Christchurch and Canterbury to provide a supported employment service. When people gain employment, Jobconnect provides ongoing support to the worker and the employer for as long as required.

In times of unwellness, the service will support people to continue working, or negotiate with employers/educators for appropriate time off.

Peer Support at Jobconnect provides support for people contemplating a vocational journey as part of their mental health recovery. This could include work, study, and volunteering or community involvement. 

Read more about Jobconnect here.

Programme Areas

Addictions - drug & alcohol, Mental health

Programme Type

Alcohol or drug counselling and support, Counselling and support

Regions

Canterbury

Age Groups

Adult / Pakeke

Referral Types

DHB clinical services

Referral Process

See here for access information and referral forms.

Description

Housing Facilitation Service assists people to locate, set up, and maintain independent rental tenancies. The type of housing could be with a private landlord, state or local body owned with Christchurch City Council or Housing New Zealand Corporation, or a Comcare owned/leased property.

A Housing Worker will help with flat hunting, vetting tenancy agreements, providing WINZ information and advocacy, dealing with utilities, debt issues and generally lessening the stress of obtaining new housing. Support is provided to ensure tenancies are sustainable for the individual and to assist problem solving if future difficulties arise.

Group Living offers the opportunity for an individual to become a flatmate in a semi-supported environment. People live together independently; yet receive support to manage many of the day to day aspects of living together. Individuals can access community support staff to work with them on their own development. As a group, they have the support of a Coordinator who assists them to live together harmoniously and make the decisions flatmates need to undertake to make their home function well.

Home Rescue is an urgent service that will respond to any referrals within 24 hours. A variety of urgent responses are employed to save a client’s appropriate housing that becomes at risk due to deterioration in their mental health. The goal is to reduce stress for the individual and remediate and restore a stable living environment.

The Home Rescue worker will, as appropriate, liaise with the landlord, attend tenancy hearings and mediations, advocate regarding debt and WINZ assistance, arrange property clean ups and help with getting pets cared for.

Read more about Housing Support Services here.

Programme Areas

Addictions - drug & alcohol, Mental health

Programme Type

Alcohol or drug counselling and support, Counselling and support

Regions

Canterbury

Age Groups

Adult / Pakeke

Referral Types

DHB clinical services

Referral Process

Application is open to Comcare Housing Services client pool, Specialist Mental Health Services, Mental Health residential providers or addiction treatment providers and The Ministry of Social Development.

Description

Comcare can provide short-term accommodation and support services for single vulnerable people that have an emergency housing need in Christchurch.

This service provides safe and comfortable housing while more permanent housing is sourced with the support of Comcare staff.

Programme Areas

Addictions - drug & alcohol, Mental health

Programme Type

Alcohol or drug counselling and support, Counselling and support

Regions

Canterbury

Age Groups

Adult / Pakeke

Referral Process

Referrals are via Ministry of Social Development

Description

This service assists people to access and sustain permanent or transitional housing.

Programme Areas

Mental health

Programme Type

Counselling and support

Regions

Canterbury

Age Groups

Adult / Pakeke

Referral Types

Self referral, GP, DHB clinical services, Corrections

Referral Process

Contact Comcare at Referrals | Comcare Trust

Phone:  0800 377 702

Or in person at:  334 Lincoln Road, Addington, Christchurch

Description

Rapid Rehousing is an intervention to support individuals, families and whānau to quickly exit homelessness, return to permanent housing in the community and maintain their tenancies to avoid a return to homelessness.

Programme Areas

Mental health

Programme Type

Counselling and support

Regions

Canterbury

Age Groups

Youth / Rangatahi, Adult / Pakeke

Referral Types

Self referral, GP

Description

Te Tumu Waiora is a programme that has new roles – Health Improvement Practitioners (HIP) and Health Coaches – based in general practices to help people with their wellbeing and mental health.  They support people to make a plan and give them information and tools to manage their health better.  
 

People see HIPs and Health Coaches for a wide range of reasons – some of the most common reasons are anxiety, stress, depression, sleep issues, family/relationship issues, lifestyle issues (nutrition, smoking), or help with managing long term conditions.  
 

GPs or nurses in general practice can offer people the option of seeing the HIP or Health Coach very quickly – often immediately.  This is usually at the general practice and is free of charge.