Funding cuts threaten drug clinic

One of only two kaupapa Maori-based residential centres for young people with drug and alcohol problems faces closure in the new year unless new funding can be found.

Rongo Atea, a 12-bed, purpose-built facility at Kirikiriroa Marae in Hamilton, has lost all funding from two of the five district health boards that supported it, and one of its two contracts with its main funder, the Waikato DHB.

Te Runanga o Kirikiriroa chief executive Mere Balzer said the unit would have to shut unless it could close the gap between its new income of just $768,000 a year and costs of $1.2 million.

"The trust has said we'll have one more intake after Christmas for 10 weeks," she said.

"I have spent nights crying over this because I see the kids and I see the difference we make in their lives."

Ms Balzer appealed to Social Development Minister Paula Bennett to save the facility, and Ms Bennett sent a top official in her ministry, Richard Wood, to visit it last month.

But the general manager of operations for the ministry's Child, Youth and Family Service, John Henderson, said only that the runanga was "welcome to apply" for some of the 32 new residential places for young offenders with drug and alcohol addictions which will go out for tender in April under the Government's "Fresh Start" youth justice initiative.

The 32 new beds represent a 60 per cent increase on the 53 existing youth beds at Rongo Atea (12), Odyssey House in Auckland (19) and Christchurch (9), and the only other kaupapa Maori service, Te Waireka in Hawkes Bay (13).

National Committee on Addiction Treatment chairwoman Chris Kalin said it did not make sense to close one of the four existing facilities just when the Government had recognised the need for more beds.

"One of the issues with this country is that we have a fragmented system of 21 DHBs and often our services are cobbled together by multiple contracts, so when one or two decide to do something different it puts a strain on the viability of the whole service."

Ms Balzer said Rongo Atea opened in 2000 with funding for 16 beds from the Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Tairawhiti, Lakes and Taranaki DHBs, plus a contract from the Waikato board for pre- and post-residential counselling.

She said the $400,000 contract for pre- and post-residential services was lost about six months ago when the Waikato board restructured its youth mental health services, giving all contracts to itself and Hauora Waikato.

Lakes and Taranaki DHBs then pulled out from July, reducing funded beds from 16 to 12. Lakes spokeswoman Sue Wilkie said this was because of low referral volumes and a price increase.

Ms Balzer said Rongo Atea raised its bed night charges from $165 to $250 to try to make up the loss of the pre- and post-residential contract, but this was still below costs in DHB services.

Taranaki DHB planning and funding manager Sandra Boardman said only five Taranaki young people used Rongo Atea in the past three years, indicating the service "did not meet the clinical needs of our population".

Besides the Fresh Start beds, Te Waireka and Rongo Atea see hope in new Government initiatives aiming to move some hospital services into primary healthcare and to devolve funding for Maori services to Maori organisations under the "Whanau Ora" policy.

Split policy

* August: John Key announces 32 more drug and alcohol treatment beds for youth offenders under the "Fresh Start" policy.

* October: He unveils 60 new beds for "P" addicts.

* November: Hamilton youth addiction centre Rongo Atea faces closure because of funding decisions by three district health boards.