Nga Taiohi — National secure youth forensic inpatient mental health service
The Nga Taiohi unit treats rangatahi (young people) aged 13 to 17 who are severely affected by mental health problems and who are involved in the youth justice system.
Contact us
You can contact the unit by:
- phone: 04 978 2992
Where to find us
The unit is located at:
Kenepuru Community Hospital
16 Hospital Drive
Porirua
Services we provide
Nga Taiohi is a new, purpose-built, 10-bed unit. We treat rangatahi aged 13 to 17 who:
- are severely affected by mental health (which may include alcohol or drug use)
- have offended or are alleged to have offended
- are involved in the youth justice system.
The main focus of the service is to assess and treat the young person's mental health problems and any alcohol or drug use problems.
What to expect from your stay
You will usually be admitted to the unit for up to 6 weeks. But this can change according to your needs.
When you are admitted, you will meet your primary nurse and a support nurse. They will work closely with you and a team that may include:
- doctors
- a psychologist
- an alcohol and drug clinician
- an occupational therapist
- cultural staff.
Our unit has a bicultural philosophy and we use the Te Whare Tapa Whā and Meihana models of holistic care. You will be encouraged to attend school and take part in therapy throughout the day.
Te Whare Tapa Whāexternal link
Staff wear identification badges and you can ask them about their roles.
Usually at least 2 meetings are held with your whānau. These are usually:
- within the first 2 weeks of your admission, where we will give your whānau a progress report
- toward the end of your stay, to explain the plan for your discharge from the unit.
These meetings can be either in person or by video conference.
Visiting hours
Visiting hours are between 3pm and 5pm Monday to Friday. You can arrange to visit at other times.
Visits by whānau or friends are encouraged, as maintaining social contacts plays a positive role in the young person's recovery.
There are some areas of the ward that have restricted access.
Nga Taiohi is smoke free. You cannot smoke in the inpatient units or anywhere on the grounds.
Referral information
Rangatahi referred to Nga Taiohi usually come from youth justice facilities and prisons. We take referrals from any of the 5 youth forensic community services from around Aotearoa New Zealand.