In this edition:

• Update from Toni Gutschlag, Deputy Director-General
• Developing the Long-Term Pathway for mental wellbeing in Aotearoa
• Youthline gets a $1 million boost
• Amplifying lived experience voices
• New network for leaders and innovators goes live
• Out and about

I also had the opportunity to speak at the leadership day hosted by the National Committee for Addiction Treatment. I appreciated the opportunity to connect and engage with leaders from addiction services.

Finally, I was pleased to attend the announcement of a further $1 million funding for Youthline on Sunday, it follows an announcement in February of the roll out of youth mental health and addiction services in six DHB areas – which means we now have youth specific services across 10 DHB areas with more to come. It is heartening to see the momentum building as we deliver on our commitment to increase access to, and choice of, services for youth.

Of course, rangatahi are one priority group in our programme, and I’m looking forward to more announcements for Māori and Pacific in the coming weeks.

Ngā mihi,

Toni

Next steps on the path to transformation for mental wellbeing in Aotearoa

Over the last three weeks we’ve been asking you to share your thoughts on the long-term pathway for transformation of our approach to mental wellbeing.

It’s the latest discussion in an ongoing conversation. Over the last 18 months we’ve gathered significant insights, and we’re building on this understanding.

We’ve had fantastic engagement with over 100 submissions and several 1-2-1 or workshop conversations.

The online survey will remain open until later today – you can submit via this link.

As we’ve shared, we are building on the strong foundations that Kia Kaha, Kia Maia, Kia Ora Aotearoa provides; our initial plan for supporting New Zealanders’ mental wellbeing over the short term within the context of COVID-19 was broadly supported. Now we need to build on that so it applies to the medium and longer-term.

Over the next few weeks, we will be analysing the feedback we’ve gathered and developing the long-term pathway. It will be a high-level document that sets the direction we are heading in.

Once we’ve set the direction, we’ll be developing the detail of what that looks like on the ground for teams working in the health sector.

Find out more about the Long-Term Pathway, including how to provide input here.

Youthline gets a $1 million boost

Rangatahi across the motu will have more access to online, digital and telehealth tools with Youthline given a $1 million boost.

Every year Youthline manages more than 240,000 contacts from young people and last year supported more than 26,000 young people across New Zealand.

Immediately after COVID-19 the Ministry provided funding for Youthline to add webchat to its suite of channels where youth can access support.

Now, an additional $1 million funding will enable Youthline to bring on additional clinical support and capacity for calls, texts and webchat which young people can access for mental wellbeing support

Youthline’s CEO, Shae Ronald said the additional funding from the government will make a huge difference by ensuring we can be there for more young people. 

“It’s encouraging to see increasing numbers of young people reaching out for help. We want people to know that it’s okay to not be okay – and that help is available if they need it.”

• Read more about the Youthline funding

Amplifying lived experience voices

For Martin Burke, joining the Ministry of Health was an attractive opportunity to help make change at the “pointy end”, as he describes it.

Martin has long been an advocate for amplifying the voices of New Zealand’s lived experience communities. In joining the Mental Health and Addiction Directorate, Martin hopes to ensure people with lived experience, and the organisations that represent them, are considered in all decision-making.

He brings with him a wealth of experience from across the health sector, including a former role with The Salvation Army.

Martin shares a little more about himself, and what he hopes to achieve in the newly created role of Programme Director Lived Experience.

Watch the video

New network for leaders and innovators goes live

Te Whāriki o te Ara Oranga (Whāriki) - the new network for leaders, innovators and influencers in mental health and addiction services - is now live via www.whariki-ao.nz

Whāriki is a network for leaders to build relationships, share ideas and exchange resources about what is working to transform services for tāngata whaiora, whānau and tāngata Māori. Its purpose is to bring people together to connect and share mātauranga (knowledge). A response to He Ara Oranga the Government’s report on the Mental Health and Addiction Inquiry, Whāriki shines light on excellent practice to rapidly share learning across Aotearoa. If something is working well in Whangarei, Whāriki enables leaders in Invercargill to hear about it and access learning and advice on how to adapt for people using services in their areas.

Transformation is about finding new ways to work and sharing excellent practice to inspire and support others to lead change. Please take the opportunity to sign up and complete a profile. You do not need leader in your job title – if you are committed to on-the-ground change in mental health and addiction services; then Whāriki is for you! You can get involved and influence the network in several ways including:

Be part of a national conversation

Join the conversation about what is working for people using services by asking questions and contributing to the discussion. You can talk to contributors to find out how their work was conceived and implemented and what the results were.

Share mahi happening in your communities

Share thoughts on what is useful and promising in your mahi. There are currently three key theme areas which will develop over time with the network’s direction:

• Equity for Māori
• Expanding access and improving choice
• Covid 19

Do you know about other initiatives that are working well in these key areas? Recommend great practice to share.

Join live hui with contributors and communities of practice

From time to time hui will be hosted on some initiatives to understand how they work. Share ideas on what you would like to hear more about.

Visit the new networking site, Te Whāriki o te Ara Oranga

Out and about

Suicide Prevention Office Director Carla na Nagara has been visiting a range of suicide prevention organisations. One she visited was Te Au in Hamilton to discuss the suicide prevention initiative the Hit Home Project.

The project was one of the initiatives funded by the Māori Suicide Prevention Community Fund. The project involved the extended family of a young man who died by suicide putting together an art exhibition with the exhibits capturing their responses to this terrible loss, and themes around what drives such deaths and building support and resilience.

Find out more about the Hit Home Project

Caption: Alex Milner – Community Fund Programme Lead,  Cherie Marks -  Data Analyst, Carla na Nagara – Director Suicide Prevention Office, Tio Sewell – Kaiwhakahaere, Sharon Elkington – Te Au Administrator

Some examples of the artwork from the Hit Home Project:

Te Reo Māori word of the week

Ahurea = Culture

Find more at Te Reo Hapai