Corrective Services are still struggling with mental health support as their needs are ‘not being met’.

Ministry of Corrective Services is working alongside Te Marae Ora Ministry of Health in an ongoing effort to get a clinical psychologist to assist with long standing challenges.

Ministry of Corrective Services annual and financial report for the year ended June 30, 2023 presented to Parliament last week, said one of the key challenges faced by the Ministry is the need for a clinical psychologist.

The report said the needs of the ministry for a clinical psychologist are not being able to be met.

They are relying heavily on a Ministry for Health, Te Marae Ora psychologist, who has had demanding schedules of their own.

The ministry said it is working closely with TMO to get a clinical psychologist appointed. 

The need for mental health support services in Corrections is long standing, as there has beenmounting pressure in dealing with those at a loose end who are making their way through the court system while trying to tackle mental health issues.

While Rarotonga’s long-awaited mental health facility project was expanded this year to incorporate more buildings, following a $700,000 injection, there is still a wide gap which people are falling through.

In March, Te Marae Ora clinical psychologist Dr Evangelene Daniela-Wong told Cook Islands News there was a dire need for facilities to allow for the care of patients with severe mental health disorders.

At the time, Dr Daniela-Wong acknowledged it was unfortunate that mental health patients had to be placed in Arorangi Prison for their safety and the safety of others in the community.

Because the population was so small, it had been hard to financially justify a new building. 

However, with the increase in mental health cases and numbers, and the subsequent need for a space that can promote recovery and wellbeing, safety of patients and the community had become paramount.

In November 2021 Dr Daniela-Wong confirmed Te Marae Ora would employ more staff, with a particular interest in non-clinical staff with therapeutic and life skills, like arts and music, to work at the facility.

Her words were echoed by Secretary of Health Bob Williams.  

Forensic mental health was a complex area, practically, legally, and legislatively, he told Cook Islands News earlier this year.

Williams provided data, numbers of mental behavioural diagnoses for 2021 – psychosocial issues far outstripping the others at 160, followed by anxiety (105), depression (98), dementia (94), schizophrenia, psychosis and manic episodes (63), addiction (53), disorder of infancy and adolescence (37), and self-harm suicidal intent (21).

Other challenges faced by Corrective Services are a lack of a proper prison transportation vehicle, an aging and expensive to maintain vehicle fleet, and lack of funding to purchase computer equipment.

With inflationary pressures and budget constraints, the ministry did not have the budget to retain and adequately reward high performing officers.

The ministry in its mitigation strategy, said they are requesting the need for a proper prison transportation vehicle and computer equipment.

They have been reusing and re allocating equipment within the ministry and relied on old computers for daily operations.

The ministry has also been working on recruitment processes to fill the necessary positions in its department.