Mental health day programme seeing positive results
It’s six months since we began piloting a new day programme for people with moderate mental injury diagnoses, and kiritaki (clients) are reporting positive results.
The six-week day programme is for people in the Wellington region, offered by Whakamātūtū. This service provides comprehensive, holistic support, embedded with Te Whare Tapa Whā principles.
Whakamātūtū incorporates:
- individual and group therapy
- social connection and physical wellbeing
- strategies to integrate back into everyday life, post-programme.
Since we began a pilot of the programme in January 2024, 29 ACC kiritaki have participated. The pilot, which continues until January 2026, will help us determine if an integrated, holistic, community-based service is an effective option for clients with a moderate mental injury.
So far, many participants report a positive experience, with the programme helping them acquire important skills to address the challenges they’re facing.
“I am thankful for the positive impact Whakamātūtū has had on my life. As someone who came to the program through a referral from my ACC psychologist, I found the holistic approach to mental health treatment both refreshing and effective in dealing with my depression, anxiety, and PTSD. I appreciate the extensive modalities offered because they all provided a comprehensive toolkit for addressing the challenges I faced with my mental health in one way or another,” said one of the participants.
Another participant said, “I walked away from the programme with a lot more awareness, a lot less shame and feeling much better able to manage my everyday living to continue my recovery.”
Similarly, another said, “This programme literally saved my life...with the experience I've had at Whakamātūtū, I can put into practice all the techniques and skills I have learned, and I know I will be okay. I am so grateful for being able to be part of this programme."
How to participate:
To participate in the programme, kiritaki must meet the eligibility criteria, have an accepted ACC claim and be managed by a recovery team in Wellington. If you have a client who would benefit from participating in Whakamātūtū, please:
- submit a referral online, or
- contact a recovery team member to initiate a referral: Contact us (acc.co.nz)