CYF Signs Major Contract With Queen Mary Hospital

Queen Mary Hospital Media Release

A new contract has been awarded to the Queen Mary Hospital Group to initially treat about 50 young people suffering chronic drug and alcohol dependency.

The Child, Youth and Family (CYF) contract has a substantial value.

Queen Mary¹s Youth Programme is the only residential service offered in a hospital setting in New Zealand and treats people as young as 13 who have been assessed as chemically dependent on alcohol/drugs.

The CYF contract will see initially about 50 14-19 year olds stay for periods of around 45 days depending on their individual needs.

Confirmation of the contract follows the recent appointment of American Jim Heaslip to manage the Youth Programme, which was developed in recognition of the growing need for specialised services for young people.

Queen Mary Hospital Chairman, John Beattie, says the contract reinforces the importance of providing a comprehensive, seamless range of services. He sees this as the first phase in the development of a long-term relationship between the two organisations.

"Our Youth Programme offers patients individualised treatment programmes in a professional setting with a strong emphasis on follow-up care. Like us, CYF recognise the importance of a comprehensive but individualised approach to helping young people."

The programme includes no less than five days involvement by family members of young people participating in the programme. They will attend either at Queen Mary, where the youth programme operates from its own dedicated facilities, or at one of several community clinics operated by the group in metropolitan centres around the country.

The CYF contract also provides for 12 months continuing care featuring professional small group counselling through the Hanmer Clinics for Youth Programme patients.

Youth Programme Manger, Jim Heaslip, says the type of follow-up care offered at the Hanmer Clinics is an essential part of its programme for young people.

"I believe that the residential care we offer at Queen Mary is 10% of a young person¹s treatment, follow -up care is the other 90%."

Mr Heaslip oversees a specialised team of staff including nurses, counsellors and a qualified educator.

Since joining the team at Queen Mary two months ago, he has introduced a comprehensive training programme for staff as well as helping to raise awareness of the service with referrers and the wider community.

Mr Heaslip will visit principal CYF offices around the country to detail services available for young people at Queen Mary.

Other new initiatives developed recently include opening Hanmer Clinics in Auckland, Wellington, Tauranga and Christchurch, the establishment of a specialist medical unit offering expanded detoxification services at Queen Mary and the provision of extra services throughout the group for families of dependent patients.

For further information contact: John Beattie Queen Mary Hospital 03 315 7016

Michelle Budge Glass Tower 03 365 1445

Media Release 12 July 2001

Youth programme makes a difference

Child, Youth and Family is pleased to congratulate the Queen Mary Hospital Group on the expansion of its youth programme ­ the only adolescent programme in a hospital setting in the country.

"We are very aware of the tremendous work that organisations like Queen Mary do with young people at risk," says Child, Youth and Family¹s Southern National Operations Manager, Jamie Gilbertson.

"Queen Mary, along with other excellent organisations around the country, work hard to bring about positive life outcomes for some of the most vulnerable young people in the community."

Working alongside and supporting community agencies like the hospital by helping to fund its substance dependency programme is a tangible expression of the principles of New Directions ­ the Department¹s blueprint for change that was released recently.

"Providing assistance for children and young people with high and complex needs is one of the priorities the department has identified, and supporting the work at Queen Mary is an important aspect of our commitment to working with at-risk youth," he says.

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