Roll Out Of $10 Million For School Kids’ Preventative Health
Hon Tony Ryall
Minister of
Health
24 January 2013 Media Release
Roll Out Of $10 Million For School
Kids’ Preventative Health
Health Minister Tony Ryall says 22 decile 3 secondary schools will be providing new school based health services this term.
“As part of the Prime Minister’s Youth Mental Health Project, over 8,000 more secondary school students will be able to see a registered nurse or access other health services at school if they need it,” Mr Ryall says.
The National-led government already funds around $5.6 million per year for a school nursing service in 135 decile one and two secondary schools, alternative education facilities and teen parent units.
The expanded services will be offered to all 47 decile 3 secondary schools resulting in new or improved school based services at a cost of $10 million over the four years. This will bring the total of young people eligible to around 56,000.
Mr Ryall says school based health services include promotional health campaigns – and a Wellness Check in year nine for every student.
“That’s a physical check-up but there’s also an assessment of each young person’s mental well-being. This covers areas such as home-life, eating, activities, drugs, sexuality, suicide and depression.
The Prime Minister’s $62 million Youth Mental Health Project is also investing $23 million over four years into expanding mental health funding to provide more services for young people aged 12 to 19 years in the community.
This
includes:
• Expanding primary mental health
services provided through District Health Boards and Primary
Health Organisations.
• Ensuring Child and
Adolescent Mental Health Services and Alcohol and Other Drug
Services reduce their wait times and improve post-discharge
follow-ups, to ensure young people get better care.
•
Reviewing how the referral system is working across the
youth mental health system.
• Establishing
online E-therapy
“Together this group of changes will expand access to mental health treatment for young people, while ensuring services work much better,” says Mr Ryall.
Decile 3 secondary schools offering permanent
school based health services under the PM’s Youth Mental
Health Project include:
Auckland: Marcellin College,
One Tree Hill College, St Paul's College (Ponsonby)
Bay
of Plenty: Edgecumbe College, TKKM o Te Kura Kokiri,
Canterbury: Hornby High School, Catholic Cathedral
College, TKKM o Te Whanau Tahi
Hawkes Bay: Tamatea High
School
Hutt Valley: Taita College
Levin: Horowhenua
College
Gisborne: Gisborne Boys' High School, Gisborne
Girls' High School
Waikato: Nga Taiatea Wharekura,
Forest Hill High School, Tai Wanaga, Te Pa Harakeke Teen
Parent Unit
Whanganui: Turakina Maori Girls' College,
Rangitikei College, Ruapehu College
West Coast: Reefton
Area School, Buller High School
(Some schools may not
initially offer the full range of services)
ENDS