Community Mental Health Teams (General Adult)

You may require mental health services that are best provided through the community. This means you may use our services and visit us a number of times, but you still carry on with your usual life in the community.

At times some people may need to be admitted to a mental health unit, but most mental health services are provided in the community.

Our service is for adults aged 18 and older who live in Wellington, Porirua, Kāpiti, the Hutt Valley and the Wairarapa.

If you have come to this page because you are concerned about someone else, please let them know about our service. 

If you or someone you know needs urgent help, call MHAIDS 24/7 on 0800 745 477 or find other options for support here. 

A referral from your GP is best because it’s important that your doctor is aware and involved in treatment planning and care. GPs are responsible for managing all health services for people (not just mental health) and provide ongoing care for people once they no longer need to use specialist mental health services. However, you can self-refer if you prefer not to go through your GP. See 'How to contact us' for details.

In the Hutt Valley between 8am and 4.30pm Monday to Friday and in the Wairarapa between 8am and 4.30pm, you can use the contact details in the table at the bottom of this page to make a referral.

An appointment will be arranged for you to come in and see us. One of our clinicians will meet with you and have a conversation about what has brought you to mental health services, what you've already tried and what options may be useful for you. This initial appointment can take up to an hour.

If we agree that we are the service that will best meet your needs, we will develop a treatment plan and our team will work with you in implementing that plan.

If we agree that another service will better meet your needs, we can support you to access that service. Or, we may advise you on some on actions you can take at home that may help you to address the issue that you have come to our service about.

We have a team of professionals who can help you in numerous ways.

• medication prescribing and monitoring
• group work - e.g. anxiety management, dialectical behavioural therapy (DBT), bipolar education group, Leap into Work
• relaxation
• individual therapy - e.g. CBT, schema therapy, mindfulness work
• recovery focused work with care managers
• relapse prevention planning
• support, care and treatment during acute episodes of unwellness.

As well as providing direct treatment, we can provide specialist support and advice to your GP to enable them to best help you with any mental health needs you have now or may have in the future.

Referrals to respite care

We provide a number of community based crisis respite and recovery houses, as well as one based at Wairarapa Hopspital.

Find out more about this here.

We are closed during the weekends and on public holidays.