If a person's mental or emotional state changes or deteriorates quickly, this can be called a mental health emergency or mental health crisis. In this situation, it's important to get help quickly.
Mental Health Emergency
On this page:
Where To Go For Help
If you have a WRAP plan or an Advance Directive use that to help you decide what to do.
If you don't have a WRAP plan or Advance Directive you can:
- make an emergency appointment with your GP or call your GP's After Hours service if the emergency is at night or the weekend
- call your mental health worker if you have one
- call your local mental health crisis team
- go to the accident and emergency department at your local hospital
Mental Health Crisis Team
Most regions have a mental health crisis team. These teams are called different things in different areas - Some are called Crisis Assessment and Treatment Teams (CATT), Psychiatric Emergency Teams/Services (PET/PES). These teams are made up of Community Mental Health Nurses, psychiatrists, social workers and administration staff.
These teams:
- are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week
- carry out assessments under the Mental Health Act
- provide consultation and liaison with health services in the community
- provide support and short-term help until another team is available or the help is no longer needed
Auckland DHB - 0800 800 717
Bay of Plenty DHB - 0800 800 508
Canterbury DHB - 0800 920 092
Capital & Coast DHB - (04) 494 9169
Counties Manukau DHB - (09) 270 4742*
Hawke's Bay DHB - 0800 112 334
Hutt Valley DHB - (04) 566-6999 ask for the CAT Team
Lakes DHB - 0800 166 167
MidCentral DHB - 0800 653 357
Nelson Marlborough DHB - Nelson (03) 546 1800* and Marlborough (03) 520 9999*
Northland DHB - (09) 408 8658 ext 4720 or 0800 22 33 71 (after hours)
Otago DHB - (03) 4740999 ask for the EPS
South Canterbury DHB - 0800 277 997
Southland DHB - 0800 467 846
Tairawhiti DHB - (06) 867 2435
Taranaki DHB - (06) 753 6139 ext 7680
Waikato DHB - 0800 50 50 50
Wairarapa DHB - 0508 432 432
Waitemata DHB - (09) 486 8900
West Coast DHB - 0800 757 678
Whanganui DHB - 0800 356 658
* These numbers may take you to the main switchboard, if so, ask to be put through to the Mental Health Crisis Team.
Note: Some of these 0800 numbers will only work in the specific region. If you are concerned about a person in another region and you can not get through to the Mental Health Crisis Team in their area, call the team nearest you for advice.
This content was last updated February 13, 2012.
