Mental health and addictions — South Canterbury

Community Mental Health and Addictions Services in South Canterbury are free and available through a single point-of-entry process.

In a crisis

If you, or someone you know, needs immediate help:

  • call 111
  • go to your nearest emergency department
  • contact your local mental health crisis assessment team.

Mental health crisis assessment teams (internal link)

Contact us

To contact Community Mental Health and Addictions Services in South Canterbury:

Kensington Centre is open 8am to 5pm, Monday to Friday.

If you need an urgent assessment, call 0800 277 997 at any time.


Where to find us

The Community Mental Health and Addictions Services team is at:

Kensington Centre
Queen Street
Timaru 7910

Hospital map — Timaru Hospital


Services we provide

Services we provide include:

  • comprehensive mental health and addiction assessments
  • treatment recommendations
  • referrals to other services 
  • education and support for clients, family and whānau (family)
  • treatment using talking therapies
  • treatment with medicines
  • strengths focused interventions
  • crisis and safety plans
  • relapse prevention education and support
  • cultural support
  • appointments with psychiatrists and psychologists.

All of the following services are available through a single point of entry process. There is no cost for our services.

The infant, child and adolescent mental health service (ICAMHS)

ICAMHS provides expert assistance in the areas of:

  • youth justice
  • psychology.

ICAMHS is located on the corner of Queen Street and High Street, Timaru.

Community mental health

Community mental health includes:

  • the triage, assessment, crisis and treatment (TACT) team
  • older persons mental health and addictions
  • forensic psychiatry
  • mothers and babies services
  • eating disorders services
  • psychology
  • community support workers.

Addictions

Addictions services include:

  • youth alcohol and drug services
  • Hauora Māori mental health.

Acute inpatient unit

We have an acute inpatient advisory group, which includes a:

  • staff development facilitator
  • consumer advisor
  • family advisor
  • consumer and family advisory committee.

Referral information

You can be referred by your healthcare provider, support networks or you can refer yourself to Community Mental Health and Addictions Services in South Canterbury — see 'Contact us'.