$180k boost for OCD treatment programme

A new treatment for 26 young people in Christchurch who suffer from obsessive-compulsive disorder has received a $180,000 boost.

The Bergen Four Day OCD Treatment (B4DT) is an intensive "circuit-breaker" programme developed in Norway. It was delivered for the first time in New Zealand to 17 young Kiwis in January. 

The Christchurch treatment, which started this week and runs until Friday, aims to help a group of 26 teenagers aged 15 to 17. 

OCD is a chronic, often debilitating mental health condition characterised by uncontrollable, recurring thoughts - obsessions - and repetitive behaviors performed to reduce anxiety.

It affects roughly one in 40 adults and one in 100 people, causing significant distress and impairment in daily life, often taking over an hour daily.

The Rātā Foundation contributed $120,000 and the Wayne Francis Charitable Trust $60,000 to the Christchurch OCD treatment programme. It was also funded by a private donation from a family whose son benefitted from the treatment. 

Said Rātā Foundation head of community investment Kate Sclater: "Delivering effective evidence-based care locally can be a turning point for those most in need - helping young  people get back to everyday life, reconnect with school and relationships, and build confidence for the future. 

"This investment aligns with our focus on removing barriers to effective mental health support and expanding access to a wider range of options, including innovative approaches  such as the Bergen 4-Day Treatment, to reduce long-term harm and improve mental health outcomes."

Wayne Francis Charitable Trust general manager Jenn Chowaniec said it supports the initiative because the Bergen model offers an opportunity for treatment in an underserved area as well as providing valuable insights and support for the wider mental health sector.

"Our hope is that this initiative creates real improvements in accessibility to OCD treatment services that ultimately create lasting positive change for those who need it most,” Chowaniec said. 

Open Closed Doors, a charity founded by leading clinicians and health advocates, has partnered with Bergen psychologists to bring the treatment to New Zealand.

As part of the Christchurch treatment sessions, psychologists from the private sector and Canterbury, Waitemata, Auckland and Waikato DHBs are undergoing training to deliver the B4DT programme.

Open Closed Doors clinical lead, psychologist Emma Chapman, said training clinicians from the public service will enable the Bergen treatment to be more broadly available to help the estimated 100,000 New Zealanders affected by OCD. 

"Psychologists who work at the coalface and see the impact OCD has on clients every day are incredibly excited by the Bergen model. An effective treatment like Bergen helps clients but it also helps to significantly reduce pressure on the health system by cutting everything from waiting lists to the impact of long-term disability costs," she said. 

Nearly 90% of patients who take part in the B4DT programme experience symptom reduction in just four days, and almost 70% go into remission after three months which remains largely unchanged four years later.

-Allied Media