Wairarapa shows NZ how it's done | Wairarapa News | Local News in Wairarapa

A unique Wairarapa methadone programme is showing the rest of the country how it's done.
Wairarapa Addiction Services' methadone programme is the only one in New Zealand run by a community-based organisation rather than a hospital.
And unlike many other services around the country, there are no waiting lists even though Wairarapa has about the same number of addicts per head of population.
Wairarapa Addiction Services manager Mary Freeman said workers in other services around the country had up to 60 or 70 cases each.
''We have managed to get our case numbers down quite considerably to about 30 each, which means we can work a lot more intensely with people.''
Thirty-seven of the 94 clients are in fulltime or part-time work.
Not all addicts would come off the drug, but the higher level of support meant more users felt safe to ''count down'' and stop taking methadone completely, Mrs Freeman said. ''Lots of people have come off. I wouldn't be in this job still if I didn't believe in what we do, and that it works.''
Mrs Freeman said the service's biggest advantage was its stable workforce.
''In lots of places people will only stay for a few months because it's such a challenging job. Often they're so overloaded, they can't do much more than just dispense.''
The service had been able to retain workers because of the nice surroundings, good resources and support, she said.
Sale of private assets enabled the purchase of facilities and resources that would have been out of reach if they had to rely solely on District Health Board funding.
''Other services operate out of the back of hospitals or back-buildings nobody else wants.
''Staff members here have their own room, their own computers. They may seem like small things, but these sorts of things make a difference.''
Wairarapa District Health Board mental health and addiction portfolio manager Marie McKay said the gurus of the methadone world recognised the programme as one of the best in the country.
''People think they're awesome.''
Mrs McKay said the model was held in high regard because of its holistic focus on treating the whole person.
''A [meth programme] is not just about dispensing. It requires psychiatric and medical input as well.''
The service had a high level of clinical safety and strong emphasis on getting people off methadone or on the lowest dose possible, Mrs McKay said.
''Meth is very risky stuff. You don't want clients to be able to sell it.
''The programme has good supports in place to minimise the risk to the community, make sure clients get the right amount on the right day, and reduce the amount of methadone on the streets.''
Mrs McKay said the number of people on the programme was considered the appropriate level for the size of the population.
''Naturally we would like to get that number down. And more importantly, we want to see those numbers moving. We don't want to have the same 94 people on the programme.'' There had been a steady turnover of people moving on and off the programme.