In this edition:

• Update from Toni Gutschlag, Deputy Director-General
• More pregnancy and parenting services roll out
• Dedicated peer support crisis service for Hawke’s Bay
• New kaupapa Māori services launch in Southern
• Mental Health Amendment Bill has first reading
• Developing the long-term pathway for transformation
• Office of the Director of Mental Health and Addiction Services Annual Report released
• Mental health advocate named young New Zealander of the year

The Director of Mental Health is a statutory role under the Mental Health Act, and although there's no legal requirement to publish a report of this area, it has been customary to do so. There has been a lot of comment on what data is included, or not, in the report – there is more detail about this and where to find all the data later in this update. I want to personally assure everyone that transparency and integrity are essential values to all of us working in the New Zealand health system. 

We will continue to develop new ways of working and reporting as the work programme evolves. The transformation of our approach to mental health and addiction called for in He Ara Oranga requires change at every level of our system; so we can't keep doing things the way we’ve always done them.

In other news, the first quarter has been another really busy one with a lot of progress made. Last week we celebrated the start of new services across the central North Island with new pregnancy and parenting services up and running across Whanganui and the Eastern Bay of Plenty. And in Hawke’s Bay, a new integrated crisis service, encompassing peer-support, will be up and running within the next few months. It’s pleasing to see these services getting off the ground, enabling us to deliver better outcomes for our communities.

There was great news this week with the Mental Health Act Amendment Bill having its first reading. This is a significant milestone and a crucial part of our work programme to transform our approach to mental health and wellbeing. I’m looking forward to improving our current legislation, while also continuing work to repeal and replace the Mental Health Act.

Finally, I’d like to personally thank everyone who took the time to share thoughts with us as we develop the long-term pathway for our approach to mental health and wellbeing. Developing this pathway is a big job and it requires collaboration – the Ministry cannot drive the much-needed transformation alone.

We are now analysing all the feedback we received and will keep you updated on the next steps, including the development of more detailed mental health and addiction service frameworks.

Ngā mihi,

Toni.

More pregnancy and parenting services roll out

Health Minister Andrew Little meets with organisations delivering He Puna Ora in Whanganui

Wāhine and whānau across Whanganui and Bay of Plenty now have access to pregnancy and parenting services designed to reduce addiction and support wellbeing.

The pregnancy and parenting service model, which started in Waitematā, has expanded out into the two new regions, with both services tailored to best suit the different communities.

The service in Whanganui, He Puna Ora, is being delivered through a collective of five Māori organisations. In Bay of Plenty, the District Health Board has partnered with Tūwharetoa ki Kawerau and Te Pou Oranga o te Whakatōhea to design and deliver their services.

Pregnancy and parenting services are intensive services that aim to improve outcomes for parents who are experiencing the harms of substance use, have infants under the age of three or are pregnant, and who may be poorly connected to health and social services.

The Whanganui and Bay of Plenty pregnancy and parenting services add to our existing services in Waitematā, Tairāwhiti, Hawke’s Bay and Northland.

• Read more about the new pregnancy and parenting services

Dedicated peer support crisis service for Hawke’s Bay

Hawke's Bay District Health Board Chair, Shayne Walker, Health Minister Andrew Little and Hawke's Bay District Health Board Chief Executive Keriana Brooking

A new model of supporting people experiencing mental health or addiction crisis will soon be available for people in Hawke’s Bay.

Te Tāwharau, meaning shelter, is a mental wellbeing service integrated with police and social service support. It includes a dedicated peer support team staffed by people with their own lived experience, or who have supported friends or whānau through mental health or addiction issues.

The peer support team will work with people in the community who might require non-acute mental health and addiction support. The intention is that they will make initial contact and act as a first step in preventing a crisis.

Health Minister Andrew Little met with teams delivering the service in Hawke’s Bay.

“Providing better services for people experiencing mental health or addiction issues is a priority for this government. When people are at crisis-point, they need a place that feels safe and need to feel confident the right support will be available,” Minister Little said.

“Te Tāwharau is the first programme of its kind where services will be based at one site in the community 24-7. This makes it easier for whānau to know where to get help, as services are centrally coordinated to support people in the best way possible.”

• Read more about the launch of Te Tāwharau

New kaupapa Māori services launch in Southern

At the launch of Mahana; Joe Clarke - Pou Whirinaki Cultural Advisor Ngā Kete, Terry King - Ngā Kete Trustee, Greg Houkamau - Addiction Counsellor Ngā Kete, Ra Dallas - Maori Public Health - Ngā Kete, Hon Rino Tirakatene, Myra Clarke - Mahana Kahui Kaumatua Ngā Kete.

Funding for new and expanded kaupapa Māori services have enabled the start of a tailored service in the Southern region.

The new service, Mahana – Southern Māori Mental Health & Addiction, has been established by the Ngā Kete Matauranga Pounamu Charitable Trust and was officially launched last month.

The service provides a mana-enhancing pathway that builds cultural identity and capacity to help with people’s return to wellbeing. It supports all ages, including a rangatahi programme, servicing the entire Southern rohe and based out of Invercargill and Dunedin.

Ngā Kete Mātauranga Pounamu Charitable Trust Chief Executive, Tracey Wright-Tawha, said the service would make a meaningful difference for people within the Southern region.

“We’ve been providing addiction services for 16 years and we’re really excited to be able to expand our service offerings to people right across the Southern region with this new programme, focused on Māori healing.

“It is thrilling to be able to move in to this new mental health and addiction space where our own stories, experiences and modalities are being well supported.“      

• Read more about Mahana – Southern Māori Mental Health and Addiction Service

Mental Health Amendment Bill passes first reading

This week, the Mental Health (Compulsory Assessment and Treatment) Amendment Bill, had its first reading in Parliament, marking a significant step towards delivering on the Government’s commitment to improve the legislation around mental health as recommended by He Ara Oranga – the report of the Government Inquiry into Mental Health and Addiction.

The amendments in the Bill are intended to improve the protection of individual rights and patient safety. For example, by eliminating indefinite treatment orders and enabling more effective application of the Act.

This is an important milestone in our wider work to transform New Zealand’s approach to mental wellbeing, which includes ensuring our legislation is fit-for-purpose and upholds New Zealanders’ rights.

The Bill is just the initial step in a full overhaul of the Mental Health Act. Work will continue to progress the full repeal and replacement of the Act in collaboration with the sector and communities.

Public submissions are now being called for on the Bill, with submissions closing at 11.59pm on Wednesday, 19 May 2021.

• Find more details about the Bill, including how to make a submission
• Read more about the first reading of the Mental Health Amendment Bill

Developing the long-term pathway for transformation

We are in the process of developing the Long-Term Pathway for transformation of New Zealand’s approach to mental wellbeing.

During March we asked for your thoughts on the crucial elements to be considered, what needs to be included, and the biggest opportunities for significant change.

We received more than 150 submissions through our online consultation, conducted a number of interviews and focused conversations, and had feedback and input from government agencies – thank you to everyone who took the time to share their thoughts with us.

We are now analysing all the rich information that we gathered and have started developing the draft plan.

As we’ve said throughout this process, we are not starting from scratch. Last year we developed Kia Kaha, Kia Māia, Kia Ora Aotearoa: COVID-19 Psychosocial and Mental Wellbeing Plan. It sets the foundation which we are now building on.

The Pathway will set the high-level direction for transformation for the next 10 years, but will still be flexible enough to enable us to adapt over time. The next step is to develop mental health and addiction service frameworks which will outline how the transformation will look on the ground for service delivery.

We will update you on progress as we work through development of the Long-Term Pathway and service frameworks.

• Read more about the Long-Term Pathway

Office of the Director of Mental Health and Addiction Services Annual Report released

Only a small group of people who access mental health and addiction services are being treated under the Mental Health Act. Within the Ministry of Health we considered it timely to separate system performance from regulatory activities.

We now have a team of people leading mental health and addiction work and a broader set of data available when considering system performance, including data associated with the new Maori, Pacific, Youth, Addictions and Integrated Primary Care Services. This has enabled us to refine the Director of Mental Health’s report to focus exclusively on regulation.

The data previously included in the Director’s reports continues to be available publicly.  One of the main sites for mental health and addiction performance data is the Nationwide Service Framework Library.

Statistics on the deaths of any persons or special patients under the Mental Health Act will be published on our website shortly.

There are also independent agencies that have, or have had, formal accountability responsibilities for monitoring the performance of our mental health and addiction system, which we provide data to.  Information published by these agencies is publicly available:

• The Health and Disability Commission
• The Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission
• The Health Quality and Safety Commission

We also report annually through the Ministry of Health’s Annual Report.

Along with refining the approach to the Director of Mental Health and Addiction Services reports, we are reporting on progress of the broader programme on a more regular basis through our progress updates.  

We accept that this report has not been released in a timely manner, in particular for 2018.  This was due to the impacts on workload due to COVID-19, the manual collection of data required to produce the reports, and a change in approach to releasing the report.

As we set out within the report, it is our intention to ensure the release of this data is more timely going forward, while also publishing the information in a more accessible way – these will take the form of digital updates.

• Read the latest report from the Office of the Director of Mental Health and Addiction Services

Mental health advocate named young New Zealander of the year

Director of the Suicide Prevention Office, Carla na Nagara, applauded the naming of Jazz Thornton as Young New Zealander of the Year.

“Jazz is a powerful advocate for suicide prevention, and the experience she brings means she connects particularly well with young people. We need people like her helping us to push for better outcomes, particularly given our youth suicide rates,” Carla said.

“Suicide prevention is a tough area and the more that the positive, hope-focussed work in this area is highlighted the more progress we will make.”

Te Reo Māori word of the week

(He) Pā Waranga = (A) Person with an addiction

Find more at Te Reo Hapai