Kia ora,
I committed to making sure you are kept up-to-date with the latest in our work programme.
That’s why I wanted to let you know that the Ministry of Health has issued two Request for Proposals (RFPs) today. One for kaupapa Māori and one for Pacific, primary and community mental health and addiction services.
This is another important step forward in making sure we are making it easier for people to have access to and choice of services and support they need, when they need it.
The RFPs issued today are to expand or replicate existing services for both Māori and Pacific peoples.
We have held a series of hui with Māori and will be providing feedback from these hui on our website over the next week. We will also be holding Pacific fono/workshops in November and December. Feedback from the hui and fono workshops will be used to inform the next round of Māori and Pacific RFPs being released in early 2020 for entirely new services. We’ll keep you informed with progress on this work.
This work’s part of the Government’s $455 million Welbeing Budget investment. We’re expanding access and choice in primary and community mental health and addiction support, with a focus on ensuring people experiencing distress get the support they need easily and quickly.
Māori and Pacific communities are inequitably affected by mental health and/or addiction issues and are known to be hesitant in seeking help or support outside of their family, and when they do, it is often during a crisis period. The intention is to utilise pathways that are culturally appropriate such as primary and community healthcare to increase access and choice when seeking help.
The mental health and addiction support funded through the RFPs released today will encompass all aspects of people’s lives so that when people are in distress, they know there is appropriate support available, they are easily accessible and contributes to maintaining wellness and wellbeing. Greater access to services and more choice about the kinds of support available are a core part of this initiative. This could include things such as individual support, family/whanau support groups and on-line or virtual support.
These RFPs are now open and will close on 26 November 2019. For more information please visit the GETS site.
For this tender, and for all GETS tenders, the Ministry of Health will only be accepting RFP proposals through GETS and not through any other channel. All RFPs must be submitted through GETS to be eligible for consideration. If you have any questions, they must also be submitted through GETS and will be answered via that platform as well.
Work on models of primary mental health and addiction services for youth and rural communities will also start later in the year.
I will continue to keep you up-to-date with this work as we progress.
Ngā mihi nui,
Robyn Shearer
Deputy Director-General, Mental Health & Addiction.
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