Perinatal Mental Health
Perinatal Mental Health
Perinatal Mental Health is a team of experienced health professionals skilled in helping mothers with mental health conditions related to having a baby. Our specialised team offers assessment, treatment and advice for women who have developed mental illness or have had previous mental illness during the perinatal period (during pregnancy or up to one year after the baby is born).
Our team consists of mental health nurses, social worker, psychiatrist, clinical psychologist and occupational therapist with specialist knowledge and experience in this field.
Mothers and babies exist as a unit – one cannot be considered without the other. We work with women, their partners and family/whānau, as well as the services and health providers involved in their care.
We do not provide an urgent/ crisis service and if the situation is urgent, please contact:
Crisis Assessment and Treatment Service
Available 24/7
0800 50 50 50
Who do we see?
- Women (of any age) who are experiencing moderate to severe mental health illness in pregnancy and postpartum
- Significant maternal distress related to second trimester termination, birth trauma and / or a still born loss
- Women wanting pre-conception counselling
- Women with previous mental illness, birth trauma
We also provide a consultative secondary service to women who are current clients of other Mental Health & Addiction services.
All appointments are at 222 Pembroke Street, Hamilton, or at the clients' home, or at another agreed venue.
New appointments can take up to one to two hours; follow up appointments 30 minutes to one hour. Women are welcome to bring their babies, other family/whānau members and other support people as desired.
Location
222 Pembroke Street, Hamilton
Contact
Phone: 07 858 0924
Fax: 07 858 0926
Referrals are accepted from a variety of sources including:
- Self-referrals including family & friends with client’s consent
- Primary health providers - general practitioners (GPs), Plunket nurses, midwives
- Secondary health providers - obstetricians, ante/post-natal services, Mothercraft and New Born Unit
All referrals to the Waikato DHB Perinatal Mental Health Service will be triaged by the Adult Mental Health Triage team who will make contact with the client to complete a telephone triage assessment.
Once accepted into the service, the referral will be sent to the Perinatal Mental Health team and allocated at the next referral meeting where an initial appointment by one of the team will be made.
Referrals can be sent to the AMHS Triage via:
Adult Mental Health Triage
Postal Address
Perinatal Mental Health Service
Waikato Hospital
Private Bag 3200
Hamilton
Referrals for Kaupapa Māori Maternal Mental Health Services for clients within Hamilton, Ngaruawahia and Huntly can be sent directly to:
Hauora Waikato via Ngaa Ringa Awhina
Postal Address
PO Box 1047
Waikato Mail Centre
Hamilton