Specialist mental health services cover specialist mental health services: adult community; adult acute; rehabilitation; child, adolescent and family (CAF); forensic; alcohol and drug; intellectually disabled persons’ health; and other specialty services.
Services are provided by a number of outpatient, inpatient, community-based and mobile services throughout Canterbury. The Forensic, Eating Disorders, Alcohol and Drug, and CAF Services provide regional inpatient beds and consultation liaison. Outreach clinics provide Rural Adult Community and CAF Services to Kaikoura and Ashburton
Single Point of Entry is a person’s initial contact with the mental health services. It streamlines the way people are referred for the Adult Community Mental Health Services they require.
For more information see Urgent Adult Services in the Health Services Directory
A facility for adults with acute mental illness that require 24 hour nursing care. Assessments and treatment are provided by a multidisciplinary team. Te Awakura is a four ward complex at Hillmorton Hospital. The wards work in collaboration with community mental health teams and other agencies.
Te Awakura – Adult Acute Inpatient Service
Hillmorton Hospital
Annex Road South, Middleton
Christchurch, 8024
Phone: 03 337 7969
An inpatient rehabilitation unit which offers a recovery-based programme that enables people with mental health issues to live fulfilling lives in the community.
Wāhi Oranga
Building 12
Hillmorton Campus
Annex Road South, Middleton
Christchurch 8024
Phone: 03 337 7704
The Tupuna Unit was an inpatient extended care unit which provided 24 hour care and support for people with mental health issues that require a longer stay in hospital than the acute inpatient unit provides. Following an extensive consultation process a decision was made to close the Tupuna Unit on Hillmorton Campus, the unit closed in late January 2023.
More information about the closure can be found in our news section.
The Adult Community Mental Health service provides assessment, treatment and support services to adults in the community, including assessment and interventions for urgent or crisis mental health needs, at a number of locations across Canterbury.
East Adult Community Service | Phone: 03 381 1559
North Adult Community Service | Phone: 03 363 1950
South Adult Community Service | Phone: 03 363 1950
West Adult Community Service | Phone: 03 343 0836
Rural Adult Community Service | Phone: 03 339 1109
Fergusson Building
Hillmorton Hospital
Annex Road South, Middleton
Christchurch, 8024
Ashburton Hospital
11 Elizabeth St
Ashburton, 7700
Phone: 03 307 6923
The Hereford Centre offers a range of treatment and support services to individuals with mental illnesses who experience difficulty in maintaining wellness with previous community mental health services.
Recreation Centre
Hillmorton Hospital
Annex Road South, Middleton
Christchurch, 8024
Phone: 03 335 4500
Totara House is a specialist multidisciplinary service for young people (18-30 years) who are experiencing their first episode of a mental illness.
The team aims to reduce the disruption to people's lives by intervening early through a range of services, including community treatment and support, group programmes, and education about psychosis.
Totara House
183 Montreal St
Christchurch Central, 8011
Monday to Friday (8.30 am - 5.00 pm)
Phone: 03 377 9733
In an after-hours emergency, please call the Crisis Resolution, phone: 0800 920 092
The Psychiatric Consultation Service provides access to assessment, treatment and advice to the general hospitals of Christchurch for psychological and psychiatric issues that impact a person's medical care and their ability to manage their illness.
Level 4, Riverside
Christchurch Hospital
2 Riccarton Ave
Christchurch Central, 8011
Phone: 03 378 6615
The Child, Adolescent, and Family (CAF) Emergency Team manages In Hours Emergency presentations for children and adolescents up to the age of 18 years, between the hours of 8:30am and 5pm Monday to Friday.
CAFLink is the Child, Adolescent and Family Mental Health Service 'single point of entry function' which streamlines access to mental health services in Canterbury for children, adolescents and their families. Freephone: (0800) 218 219
• Freephone: (0800) 218 219 (press option 2)
The CAF Emergency Team manages In Hours Emergency presentations for children and adolescents up to the age of 18 years, between the hours of 8:30am and 5pm Monday to Friday.
This outpatient service provides comprehensive psychiatric assessment and therapeutic intervention for children and adolescents 0-17 years (or older if still at school) in their family context.
CAF South Community and Outreach team
First Floor, Heathcote Building
The Princess Margaret Hospital
Cashmere Rd
Christchurch, 8022
Phone: 03 337 8740
CAF North Community and Outreach team
Hillmorton Hospital
51 Sylvan St
Middleton, Christchurch, 8024
Telephone: 03 339 1126
The Youth Forensic Team provides a consult and liaison role, as well as an assessment and treatment service, for youth aged 10-18 years with moderate to severe mental health issues involved in the Youth Justice System.
Youth Forensic Team
Whakatata House
44 Cashel Street,
Christchurch Central City,
Christchurch 8013
Phone: 03 337 8666
A service for children and young people between the ages of 0-12 years, including those who are in the custody of the Chief Executive of Oranga Tamariki - Ministry of Vulnerable Children, and who have a confirmed or suspected moderate to severe mental health issue.
Cnr Montreal and Cashel St
Christchurch, 8013
Phone: 03 337 7970
For information about wellbeing and mental health support for children in schools, please see the Mana Ake website - www.manaake.health.nz
Ngā Kākano is a specialist regional (South Island) treatment and assessment service for children and adolescents who have severe psychiatric, emotional, behavioural, or developmental disorders are assessed and/or treated.
Ngā Kākano
Building 14
Hillmorton Campus
Annex Road South, Middleton
Christchurch 8024
Phone: 03 337 7773
The Whaikaha Unit provides inpatient assessment, treatment and rehabilitation for people with intellectual disabilities and significantly challenging behaviour. Please contact the unit on 03 339 2710 to arrange visits.
Whaikaha
Hillmorton Hospital
Annex Road South, Middleton
Christchurch, 8024
Phone: 03 339 2710
The PSAID Inpatient Unit provides treatment of mental health disorders for adults with intellectual disabilities.
PSAID Inpatient Unit
Hillmorton Hospital
Annex Road South, Middleton
Christchurch, 8024
Phone: 03 337 7969
The PSAID Community Team provides comprehensive mental health assessment and treatment, including case management when needed.
PSAID Community
Hillmorton Hospital
Annex Road South, Middleton
Christchurch, 8024
Phone: 03 339 2860
This service is for people with an intellectual disability who have been charged with an offence and are subject to a compulsory care order from the courts.
Te Waimokihi
Hillmorton Hospital
Annex Road South, Middleton
Christchurch, 8024
Phone: 03 339 2860
Forensic services provides specialist care for people who, as a result of mental illness, have seriously offended or are assessed as high risk for serious offending.
Medium secure inpatient admission unit.
Te Whare Manaaki
Building 1, Hillmorton Hospital
Annex Road South, Middleton,
Christchurch 8024
Phone: 03 338 5059
Te Whare Hohou Roko is a medium secure inpatient rehabilitation unit.
Te Whare Hohou Roko
Hillmorton Hospital
Annex Road South, Middleton
Christchurch, 8024
Phone: 03 339 1162
Te Whare Mauriora is a minimum secure inpatient rehabilitation unit.
Te Whare Mauriora
Hillmorton Hospital
Annex Road South, Middleton
Christchurch, 8024
Phone: 03 339 1145
Te Whare Rangihau provides care for people with a mental illness that have police, court and/or prison involvement and require assertive outpatient care.
Te Whare Rangihau
Hillmorton Hospital
Annex Road South, Middleton
Christchurch, 8024
Phone: 0800 666 522
Whāngai Aroha is the name for the following inpatient services.
The South Island Eating Disorders Service (SIEDS) provides inpatient treatment, education and liaison services for people under a mental health service with a diagnosed eating disorder from throughout the South Island.
Whāngai Aroha
South Island Eating Disorders Service
Building 14, Hillmorton Hospital
Annex Road South, Middleton
Christchurch, 8024
Phone: 03 3354159
The Mothers and Babies mental health service provides inpatient treatment for mothers or primary care givers who are under a mental health service in their home area or acutely through the Crisis Resolution Team in Canterbury.
Whāngai Aroha
Mothers and Babies Services
Hillmorton Campus
Annex Road South, Middleton
Christchurch 8024
Phone: 03 337 7939
The Kennedy Detox Unit provides a safe and comfortable detoxification experience by avoiding or reduce the medical complications associated with alcohol and drug withdrawal.
The team assists clients in stabilising a lifestyle that has been adversely affected by drug and alcohol use. They provide support and education for clients and families impacted by the use of drugs and alcohol.
Kennedy Detoxification Unit
Hillmorton Hospital
Annex Road South, Middleton
Christchurch, 8024
Phone: 03 339 1139
The Anxiety Disorders Service is a community-based team that provides treatment for people with anxiety disorders.
Anxiety Disorders Service
Hillmorton Hospital
Annex Road South, Middleton
Christchurch, 8024
Phone: 0800 269 468 or 03 364 0421
The Mental Health Clinical Research Unit (CRU) carries out high quality clinical research that aims to improve the way care is provided to people using mental health services. Their research topics range from randomised controlled trials of clinical interventions to projects that evaluate care for specific areas of concern, such as metabolic disorders.
The CRU is a joint initiative between the Canterbury District Health Board’s Specialist Mental Health Service (SMHS) and the University Department of Psychological Medicine.
Clinical Research Unit,
Specialist Mental Health Service
4 Oxford Tce
Christchurch, 8011
Phone: 03 372 0400
The Christchurch Opioid Recovery Service provides case management and opiate maintenance treatment in the community.
Christchurch Opioid Recovery Service
Hillmorton Hospital
Annex Road South, Middleton
Christchurch, 8024
Phone: 03 335 4350
The Community Alcohol and Drug Service provides assessments and individual and group outpatient treatment for people that need assistance with moderate to severe alcohol and/or other drug dependence.
Community Alcohol & Drug Service
Hillmorton Hospital
Annex Road South, Middleton
Christchurch, 8024
Phone: 03 335 4350
The Community team in the South Island Eating Disorders Service (SIEDS) provides outpatient treatment for people who live in the Canterbury region. The team also provides education, liaison, training and case consultation to community services throughout the South Island. More information
South Island Eating Disorders Service (Community team)
Building 14, Hillmorton Hospital
Annex Road South, Middleton
Christchurch, 8024
Phone: 03 335 4159 or Free phone: 0800 337 770
The South Island Perinatal Mental Health Service Community Team (SIPMHS) (formerly Mothers and Babies Community Mental Health Service for outpatients) offers treatment to mothers and primary care givers who have been referred by their general practitioner (GP), other mental health services or medical specialists. The team provides education, liaison, training and case consultation to services throughout the South Island.
South Island Perinatal Mental Health Service Community Team (SIPMHS)
Building 14
Hillmorton Hospital
Annex Road South, Middleton
Christchurch, 8024
Free phone: 0800 377 708
The Te Korowai Atawhai (Māori Mental Health Service) works to enhance the delivery and quality of mental health services provided to Tangata Whaiora mainly through the mahi of Pūkenga Atawhai (Specialist Māori Mental Health Workers) employed in a number of multidisciplinary clinical teams.
Te Korowai Atawhai Whare
Te Waimokihi
Hillmorton Hospital
Annex Road South, Middleton
Christchurch, 8024
Phone: 03 339 2864
Page last updated: 15 December 2023
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