Youth addiction services access improves

Health Minister Jonathan Coleman says more young people aged 19 or under are getting quicker access to specialist help for alcohol and drug problems.

“We want our youth to live healthy, addiction free lives so they are able to complete their education and training, and have the resilience they need as they move into adulthood,” says Dr Coleman.

“Circumstances in young people’s lives can change quickly, which means services need to be flexible so they can respond as needed.

“The most recent data from DHBs shows that 85 per cent of youth aged 19 or under were seen within three weeks of contacting a youth alcohol and drug service. This exceeds the target of 80 per cent and is a 12 per cent lift compared to 2012.

“The proportion of youth treated between three and eight weeks has also improved significantly. The data shows 94 per cent of young people treated within this time period, a six per cent increase on 2012.

“These continuing improvements are a credit to the ongoing efforts of staff across the country.”

Work to speed up access to Alcohol and Other Drug services is one of 26 initiatives that are part of the Prime Minister’s Youth Mental Health Project.

The Government has invested $62 million over four years to support young people with or at risk of developing mild to moderate mental health issues.