Tauranga addiction services are being "stretched to capacity" as post-Covid relapses sweep the city. Photo / Getty Images
Tauranga addiction services are being "stretched to capacity" as post-Covid relapses sweep the city. Photo / Getty Images
Tauranga addiction services are welcoming Government funding for a sector "stretched to capacity" by relapses heightened by the Covid-19 lockdown.
The Bay of Plenty region expects to get $3.2 million over four years for addiction services, part of a $32m nationwide package.
Lakes District Health Board will use the moneyfor peer support staff in Rotorua and Taupō before and after-residential care, and the Bay of Plenty District Health Board for increased capacity in specialist services.
The boards will get $1.6m each, Health Minister Chris Hipkins and Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern have announced.
However, one Tauranga advocate said the money needed to be pumped straight into the frontline so the city stops "moving an ambulance from one cliff to another".
Te Tuinga Whanau Support Services Trust director Tommy Wilson said he was sick of seeing money being soaked up in admin and back-office costs and that funding needed to be given directly to the frontline of addiction services.
"We are playing catch-up all the time and moving an ambulance from one cliff to another," he said.
"We need more facilities and frontline counsellors now ... the strain on us is huge."
Post-Covid, Kapai said, reality had kicked in for many and drug supply unfroze after lockdown so numbers were relapsing back to high levels.
He said he wanted to see more funding for addiction services on "their side of the bridge".
"Greerton, Merivale and Gate Pa are the Bronx of the Bay of Plenty ... this is where the biggest addiction problems are yet the funding hardly ever lands here."
Te Tuinga Whanau Support Services Trust director Tommy Wilson. Photo / File
Director of Tauranga's Hamner Clinic, David Benton, said addiction levels in the city were high and funding was vital for the city.
He said the sector was "underfunded" and anything was well-needed.
"Our groups are full, our waiting lists are long. We are stretched to capacity at the moment."
However, things were getting worse as the stress of current events had many past recoveries turning back drugs and alcohol.
He said they had seen a "spike" in people requiring help but numbers had gradually been rising for years.
"Funding of any kind that can help people get better is well spent."
Benton said his wish-list for funding would lead to better detoxification services and safe housing for early recovery.
Regional manager for Lifewise Rotorua and Bay of Plenty Haehaetu Barrett. Photo / File
Bay of Plenty District Health Board's portfolio manager of mental health and addiction services, Caleb Putt, said that, over the past 12 months, it had prioritised funding existing non-governmental organisations for Alcohol and Other Drug (AOD) services.
This was to ensure both sustainability and capacity to recruit and retain staff, he said.
Putt said these did include providers in Greerton, Merivale and the Avenues.
He said a part of the new Government funding would be passed on to existing residential addiction services to address cost pressures.
"The sustainability of these services is vital in order for those struggling with addiction to be able to have options for engaging in recovery."
The remaining funding was available to address local system pressures and would lead to new roles being created and funded, including a local clinical addiction role, he said.
Salvation Army's Bridge national operations manager Michael Douglas said Tauranga Bridge services did experience an increase in demand post-lockdown and the main issue was alcohol.
He said there was a drop in methamphetamine use over lockdown but an increase in cannabis use. Post-lockdown, methamphetamine was on the rise again with people visiting Tauranga Bridge.
They welcomed the Government's announcement to boost regional funding to addiction services providing the opportunity for increase local and regional access to services, he said.
Regional manager for Lifewise Rotorua and Bay of Plenty Haehaetu Barrett said she had been advocating for additional funding, specifically for local peer support for a long time.
Her service operated 24/7 providing addiction and mental health support and services through the Bay of Plenty and Lakes District.
She said funding like this helped address a national need on a local level and meant people were not in positions where they could not access help without travelling.
Recovered methamphetamine addict and peer support worker Rahera Wild. Photo / File
Her team was preparing for an influx of clients as people began leaving motels post-Covid.
She would be meeting with health professionals in the coming weeks to discuss the issue and what their next steps might be.
Tauranga's Rahera Wild had struggled with addiction for 20 years but had been clean for four-and-a-half years.
She worked as a peer support person in Rotorua, where a portion of the funding was set to go.
She said peer support was the "way of future" as many were more willing to listen to and open up to someone who had "lived their experience".
Wild described the region's meth problem as "absolutely crazy", saying some services needed additional funding to get even to the tip of it.
A Ministry of Health spokesman said a key focus of the investment was to ensure current services - which had been under pressure for some time - were sustainable.
The funding was to go the delivery of services, as well as new frontline staff in some parts of the region.
Budget 2019 funding for addiction recovery services ensured there were increases every year and the Ministry was planning its investment for the 2020/21 financial year, he said.
