Kahurangi Opened
A Canterbury charity’s “leap of faith” which saw it promise $6 million for child and youth mental health is today being celebrated, with Kahurangi officially opening.
Kahurangi is a new child, adolescent and family outpatient facility for children and young people up to 18 years of age in Ōtautahi, Christchurch who need support for their mental health. It is being officially opened today (Friday 22 November 2024) at 9 am by Hon Matt Doocey, New Zealand’s first Minister for Mental Health.
“Today is a proud day for Māia Health Foundation and for every Cantabrian who has walked alongside Māia for the last five years in our quest to bring this new facility to life. Thank you Canterbury, you did it!” says Garth Gallaway, Chair of Māia Health Foundation.
Five years ago, the Canterbury District Health Board (now Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora) asked Māia to commit some funding to a new outpatient facility. Funding had been confirmed for the development of a new inpatient facility but, at the time, there had been no provision made for outpatient services.
Knowing how dire the existing facilities were, Garth says they took a “leap of faith” and committed to raise $6 million for a new facility.
“I’d be lying if I said we weren’t daunted by the task ahead of us. Six million is an enormous amount of money however the need in our community was equally as enormous. We had faith that the Canterbury community would join us in this mission and that’s exactly what this community has done. It’s phenomenal,” Garth says.
Kahurangi means “blue skies”. It will be home to Canterbury’s Child, Adolescent and Family (CAF) outpatient service and replaces previous facilities at The Princess Margaret Hospital and Hillmorton. Around 640 young people every month will be treated at the bespoke designed facility, which is on the outskirts of the Hillmorton campus.
Canterbury’s CAF Service Manager Deborah Selwood says the building is “stunning”.
“Kahurangi shows our tamariki and rangatahi that their community cares. It shows our young people that we see them, have listened to their views and thought carefully about what is therapeutic, and we’ve then put that into this beautiful, intentionally designed building,” Deborah says.
With the increasing severity and complexity of mental health issues young people are experiencing, the CAF service has seen a 157% increase in clinical interactions over the last decade. There has also been a 36% increase in CAF emergency assessments from 2020 to 2023, with the service seeing an average of 72 emergency presentations each month. These are young people who are high-risk and extremely unwell, and many need to be seen urgently.
Deborah also says staff are “buzzing” about the new facility, which will support clinical efficiencies across the CAF service with services all in the one building.
“We have specialist rooms for everything we need – like a sensory room, physio room and group therapy room – and it’s all in one building. All the time we used to spend driving across town, between sites, will be gone and the support we can provide across the team will be enhanced. It’s going to make an enormously positive impact on the care and experience we can provide our young people.”
New Zealand Community Trust (NZCT) awarded Māia a one-million-dollar ($1m) grant for the project.
NZCT General Manager Grants and Communications Ben Hodges says NZCT invests in a wide range of organisations that enrich communities and help people, especially young people, fulfil their potential.
“Kahurangi is going to be an amazing place for healing and growth, and it is nothing less than what our struggling young people deserve. We’re grateful for our local fundraising partners that made our contribution possible,” Ben says.
Rātā Foundation was a key partner in Māia’s ‘A Better Space’ appeal – giving $500,000 towards the major public appeal to raise funds for the final stages of the Kahurangi development.
Rātā Foundation Chief Executive Leighton Evans says the reality of the relentless, acute demand for youth mental health services is sadly nothing new.
“Kahurangi is a pivotal investment in the future well-being of our tamariki and rangatahi, ensuring they get the right care and support when they need it in a way that empowers them to thrive.
“The new purpose-built facility will be a game changer and will take how staff give and how tamariki and rangatahi receive and experience that care to another level,” Leighton says.
Garth Gallaway says Kahurangi is going to have a positive impact on the health of our young people and our community for generations to come.
“This was a fantastic collaboration with Health NZ’s clinical and infrastructure teams. Amazing facilities like this one in Canterbury are setting the standard for the design of mental health builds.
“I’m immensely grateful to the organisations, businesses, and individuals who have generously supported this project, and to our partners in the public sector who have joined with us to bring Kahurangi to life.
“We’re exceptionally proud that this Canterbury community cares so much and has supported this project right through to the very end. It’s taken five years of pure grit and determination, but to see this incredible facility open and ready to welcome tamariki and rangatahi is very special,” Garth says.