Quake counselling available to those who need it

People needing counselling support in the wake of the latest earthquake in Christchurch will be able to get it, says General Manager Community Outcomes and Services, Susan Kosmala. In the light of Sunday’s events we will be regularly reviewing the demand for counselling to ensure funding is there when people need it.

The Government’s Budget 2014 provided $13.5 million in new funding to support core psychosocial services and initiatives in Canterbury over four years. This includes $2.75 million in 2016/17 and $1.75 million in 2017/18.

The funding is demand driven, expected to decrease over time and allocated to be time limited. Funding to services is being targeted to where the needs are.

As might be expected, prior to the latest earthquake, demand for services had been dropping. In the last six months the number of people accessing counselling services has dropped from 127 in July to 106 in January, with over 1500 counselling sessions delivered. The number of calls to the 0800 Canterbury Support Line has also dropped from 4775 in 2012/13 to 1987 in 2014/15.

Three months in to the current financial year the $375,000 provided to the Mental Health Education and Resource Centre (MHERC) has been meeting demand, though additional money was set aside to meet any spike in demand around anniversary day. It’s not known yet what additional demand for services will result following Sunday’s earthquake.

People needing help can access support though their GP, or ring the 0800 Canterbury Support Line. More information on the Mental Health Education & Resource Centre:http://mherc.org.nz/