Kia Kōrero
Let's Talk – October 2026

Kia ora koutou katoa – welcome to the Platform Mental Health and Addiction NGO and community sector update for October 2026.

In this month's update, let's talk about...

• What's on my desk
• Belonging Matters: Mental Health Awareness Week
• Police Mental Health Change Programme
• Co-Response Teams
• Demonstrating Value and Impact
• MH&A Data Stewardship Group: Strengthening Data Quality, Reporting and System Performance
• Access to PRIMHD Data
• F. Meth: a new campaign resource to support prevention and help-seeking
• Lottery Grant Funding Changes
• Have your say: 2026 FVSV Workforce Pulse Survey now open
• Whāraurau Stocktake of the infant, child, adolescent and youth mental health workforce
• Careerforce Apprenticeship Boost
• Help Shape the Future of the Whānau Workforce
• Guest speaker opportunities for The Difference podcast
• Navigate Policy Group - Policy Library Update
• Consultations
• Access to online resources
• Events
• What We're Reading 

What's on my desk

As we head into October, I am reminded that at the heart of our work is helping people feel connected, valued, and supported. That makes this year’s Mental Health Awareness Week theme, Belonging Matters, particularly relevant for our sector.

This month’s newsletter highlights several important developments, including progress on the Police Mental Health Response Change Programme, the expansion of mental health co-response teams, and ongoing work to strengthen system performance through improved data quality and reporting.

We also showcase examples from our A Sound Investment work, demonstrating the impact and value of NGO services in supporting recovery, wellbeing, and community connection. Alongside this are updates on the new F. Meth campaign, Lottery Grant funding changes, and opportunities to help shape the future workforce through the ICAMH/AOD Workforce Stocktake and Whānau Workforce Strategy work.

Thank you for your ongoing leadership, innovation, commitment, and advocacy you bring to this work. Despite ongoing challenges, I continue to be inspired by the difference our members make every day for people, whānau, and communities across Aotearoa. Together, we continue to strengthen a connected, sustainable, and effective mental health and addiction sector.

Ngā mihi nui,

Memo

Belonging Matters: Mental Health Awareness Week

Mental Health Awareness Week 2026 (12-18 October) is an opportunity for all of us to focus on what supports positive mental health and wellbeing. This year’s theme, “Belonging Matters”, highlights the importance of connection, inclusion and community in fostering wellbeing. Grounded in the whakataukī “Ko au ko koe, ko koe ko au” (I am you, and you are me), the campaign encourages us to reach out, kōrero, connect and create opportunities for people to feel valued and included. The Mental Health Foundation has a range of free resources, practical ideas and tools available for individuals, workplaces and communities which you can access here to help everyone get involved and strengthen a sense of belonging across Aotearoa.

Police Mental Health Change Programme

A regular forum of MH&A NGO leaders, Platform and Health NZ met recently to discuss the next step of Phase Four of the Police Mental Health Response Change Programme. The aim is to ensure the impact on MH&A NGO providers of the changes being implemented are minimised.

Phase Four looked at reducing handover time from 60-minutes to 15-minutes when a person detained under the Mental Health (Compulsory Assessment and Treatment Act 1992 and is brought into an Emergency Department by Police. Health NZ and Police have agreed on the next step which will see handover time reduced from 60 minutes to 30 minutes.

They also agreed that a universal 15-minute handover time is not currently safe, feasible and sustainable to implement, and a 30-minute handover is more practical, realistic and achievable next step. There will continue to be situations where a 30-minute handover is not possible. If legislative responsibilities or safety concerns require it, Police will remain on site.

Health NZ and Police are progressing work to confirm implementation and timing of the introduction of the 30-minute change to ensure it can be delivered safely and sustainably.

No decisions have been made yet on the welfare check component of Phase Four. That work remains underway, recognising these situations are often complex and require further engagement.

If you come across an issue about the police mental health change programme which needs to be raised or reported, please contact your local mental health / police liaison or governance group.

Co-Response Teams

We are also pleased to hear that four co-response teams are operational in Auckland, Bay of Plenty Canterbury, and Counties Manukau. Mental health co-response teams respond to 111 mental distress calls and offer mental health crisis support. 

The team’s pair mental health workers with frontline Police to respond together to mental health-related calls.

Work is advanced in established the next six co-response teams in Hawkes Bay, Lakes, Midcentral, Nelson Malbourough/Tasman, Northern and Whanganui.

Demonstrating Value and Impact

In March 2025 we published our resource A Sound Investment: A Spotlight on the Impact and Value of Mental Health and Addiction NGO Services in New Zealand. This month we are showcasing three practice examples featured in our resource A Sound Investment published in March 2025:

Artsenta Creative wellbeing for mental health recovery

Artsenta, operated by the Creative Arts Trust, is a Dunedin-based creative hub dedicated to supporting tangata whaiora who are experiencing mental health and addiction challenges. This service fosters a safe, nurturing environment where individuals can engage in creative activities as part of their recovery journey.

ADL

ADL has been delivering mental health and addiction services for rangatahi in urban and rural communities across the lower South Island for over 30 years. The service provides a range of evidence-based therapies that incorporate Te Whare Tapa Whā principles and cultural and experiential practices. It is targeted at rangatahi aged 13–22 (and their whānau) who are experiencing complex issues ranging from mental health and/or substance use and criminal offending

Ember Services Individualised support service for people who have high and complex needs – Waikato Hub

Ember Services offers individualised support programmes for 30 tāngata whaiora who have high and complex MH&A needs, many of whom have exhausted other community support options.

Pathways: Cognitive health approaches for mental wellness

Pathways serves individuals living with severe mental illness and addiction challenges and recognises the importance of cognitive health in enabling full and connected lives. Pathways has integrated innovative cognitive health approaches to enhance support for tāngata whaiora facing challenges with attention, memory and executive functioning. These cognitive health approaches are grounded in evidence-based practices. Understanding and complementing these skills are vital for promoting independence and wellbeing.

MH&A Partnership Group Update: Strengthening Data Quality, Reporting and System Performance

The MH&A Data Stewardship Group continues to progress work to improve the quality, consistency and use of mental health and addiction data nationally.

Key updates include:

• Data Quality: Ongoing work to improve PRIMHD data completeness and compliance, with a continued focus on strengthening regional oversight and data quality processes.
• Performance Reporting: National balancing measures are nearing completion and will help provide a broader picture of system performance alongside mental health targets.
• Access and Choice: Progress continues on the Access and Choice provider dashboard and associated data quality assurance activities to enhance the reliability of reporting.
• International Benchmarking: Updates highlighted New Zealand's strengths in community-based care and outcome measurement, while identifying opportunities to improve access and service outcomes.
• NGO Reporting: Work is underway to strengthen NGO PRIMHD reporting through improved monitoring, support, training, and compliance reporting.
• Access target coverage: Planning continues to expand reporting for Māori and Pacific Access and Choice providers to improve visibility of service activity and outcomes.

The group remains focused on improving data quality, strengthening outcome measurement, and enhancing data governance to strengthen performance monitoring, service planning and system improvement across the sector.

Access to PRIMHD data

A quick reminder that you can access the PRIMHD data set through a secure website supported by Health New Zealand called Qlik.

If you work for a mental health and addiction NGO or community service provider and would like access to Qlik, you can email the business intelligence team (businessintelligence@health.govt.nz) at Health New Zealand and request access to the National Collections PRIMHD datasets available via Qlik.

So how could accessing this data be useful for you? It can help to understand why reporting data accurately is important. It can also support service improvements and better understanding of service journeys for tāngata whai ora and whānau, outcomes reporting and your participation in the MH&A NGO Data and PRIMHD Community of Practice, NGO benchmarking forums and KPI programme.

F. Meth: a new campaign resource to support prevention and help-seeking

Health New Zealand has launched F. Meth — a bold national methamphetamine demand reduction campaign focused on prevention, strengthening resistance and encouraging earlier help-seeking.

The campaign encourages people, whānau, friends and communities to talk about meth harm, support each other, and know where to go for help. It has been shaped by research, community and lived-experience insights, clinical advice and independent testing, with an empowering tone that avoids fear, shame and stigma.

F. Meth complements the work already being led by alcohol and other drug, mental health, peer, community and kaupapa Māori services across the motu. The ‘F’ is deliberately open-ended — Face meth, Fight meth, Forget meth, or be Free from meth harm — giving services and communities a shared way to open conversations and push back against meth harm.

A community toolkit is available with key messages, social media content, posters and local promotion guidance. Providers can share the campaign website, use campaign videos locally, tag @HealthNZ on social media, and email HealthPromotion@tewhatuora.govt.nz for other formats, feedback or questions.

Lottery Grant Funding Changes

Changes to the way you apply for Lottery funding came into effect on 1 July 2026. Through the Community Constellation we are hearing about the impact these changes have made on the first round of Lottery funding applications. Community Constellation is engaging with the Department of Internal Affairs on issues arising. If you were declined or informed that you were ineligible for a Lotteries grant recently, please reapply in future rounds as this process has been revised. To learn more about the changes refer to the online resource below about Changes to Lottery Funding.

Have your say: 2026 FVSV Workforce Pulse Survey now open

The Centre for Family Violence and Sexual Violence Prevention is inviting people working across the family violence and sexual violence system to complete the 2026 FVSV Workforce Pulse Survey. The survey takes 20–30 minutes and asks about workforce experiences, including knowledge and skills, safety, job satisfaction, and relationships across the sector. Your responses will help build a clearer picture of how the workforce is supported to work responsively, safely, and effectively, and will inform future system strengthening under Te Aorerekura – the National Strategy for the Elimination of Family Violence and Sexual Violence. The survey is voluntary and confidential and is open until 16 October 2026.

More information here

Complete the survey here

Whāraurau needs your support for the 2026 Stocktake of the Infant, Child, and Adolescent Mental Health (ICAMH) and Addiction and Other Drug (AOD) workforce.

Funded by Te Whatu Ora, the Stocktake is a two-yearly workforce data collection project that provides a snapshot of the ICAMH/AOD workforce, and of service access for pēpi, tamariki, taiohi and their whānau across community, primary and secondary settings. The Stocktake also reports on the voice and experiences of the ICAMH/AOD workforce, as captured through qualitative survey.

In 2024, 85 percent of Te Whatu Ora funded NGO and PHO services provided their workforce data to support the Stocktake. This year, as we separate out the NGO and PHO data collection, it is more important than ever to capture and showcase the full breadth, capacity, clinical depth, and voice of the NGO workforce. We need your information to make this possible.

NGO services who are by funded by Te Whatu Ora to provide youth mental health and/or addiction services will have received or will shortly receive an email with an invitation to participate in the Stocktake. We appreciate your support in responding to this call to action.

For any pātai, please email Naomi Miller, Whāraurau Workforce Delivery Lead on Naomi.Miller@wharaurau.org.nz

Apprenticeship Boost can help mental health and addiction support workplaces develop and retain skilled staff while easing training costs.

Eligible employers can receive $500 per month, plus GST if registered, for up to 12 months, totalling up to $6,000 for each eligible apprentice.

Careerforce apprenticeships fit around existing roles, allowing staff to keep contributing while gaining recognised, practical skills. Learners receive ongoing guidance, including pastoral care from enrolment to completion.

Relevant apprenticeship programmes include Mental Health and Addiction Support and Peer Support. These build capability to foster hope, recovery and resilience, and to support people through lived experience-informed practice.

Eligible Peer Support apprentices can also access the Peer Support Training Grant, valued at $2,250, available until 30 June 2028.

If your staff are ready to grow, Careerforce can help identify suitable candidates, check Apprenticeship Boost and Peer Support Training Grant eligibility, and explain the next steps.

Contact: www.careerforce.org.nz/boost

Help shape the Future of the Whānau Workforce

Te Pou is working with the mental health and addiction sector to co-design a Whānau Workforce Strategy and Action Plan and is seeking input from people working in whānau-focused roles and services, whānau with lived experience, providers, leaders, and organisations that support this workforce.

The project will explore:

• The current and future state of the whānau workforce
• Workforce vision, purpose, and guiding principles
• Capability, leadership, and sustainability
• Priority actions to strengthen and grow the workforce

There will be opportunities to contribute through surveys, interviews, focus groups, hui, and wānanga. Guided by Te Tiriti o Waitangi principles and a whānau-centred approach, this kaupapa is grounded in collaboration and partnership.

Interested in contributing? Email Joanne.Brinsden@tepou.co.nz by 15th October with your name, organisation, role, region, and area of interest or expertise.

Guest speaker opportunities for The Difference podcast

Te Pou is seeking expressions of interest from support workers to feature as guest speakers in Season 3 of The Difference podcast.

The podcast shares the experiences, insights, and impact of support workers across Aotearoa New Zealand, exploring topics that influence practice, workforce development, and outcomes for tāngata whai ora and whānau.

Upcoming episodes will focus on:

• supporting tāngata whai ora in rural communities
• networking and collaboration in support work
• the value of holistic life skills in wellbeing and recovery.

Support workers from across Aotearoa New Zealand are encouraged to apply. No podcast experience is required, but participation will need employer support.

To learn more, visit The Difference podcast on the Te Pou website. Expressions of interest can be sent to alexia.black@tepou.co.nz.

Navigate Policy Group - Policy Library Update

We’re pleased to announce that two policy templates, Supervision and Governance – Mana whakahaere, have been reviewed by the Policy Group and uploaded to the Policy Library on our website. We will continue to keep members updated on the developments to the Policy Library, which can be found here.

Consultations

During September, we participated and contributed submissions on the following consultations and matters of concern:

• Ministry of Social Development: Review of Social Housing (on-going)
• Tertiary Education Commission: Future Delivery of Work-Based Learning (on-going)
• Department of Internal Affairs: Impact of Lottery Grant Funding Changes (led by Community Constellation)
• Ministry of Health: Draft Youth Mental Health Action Plan 2026-2029 (targeted consultation)

Access to online resources

Navigator Trust New Zealand recently shared new resources which could help support the work of your organisations. You can check out the new resources below:

Health Information Security Framework (HISF): The HISF framework sets guidelines that organisations within the health sector should follow to secure their systems and information. The guidance has been tailored to organisations according to their size and structure (referred to as segments).

Cyber security issues for organisations - Own Your Online: resource designed to help New Zealanders understand cyber security, learn why it is important, and discover how to get protected online.

Artificial Intelligence and Privacy: AI tools may involve collecting, using, or sharing personal information in ways that are not immediately obvious to you and this guidance from the Office of the Privacy Commissioner includes key questions your organisation should ask itself about each stage of building and/or using AI tools.

Changes to Lottery Funding: This resource provides what you need to know about the changes to the way to apply for lottery funding which came into effect from 1 July 2026. Lottery Fund Round 3 opens on 6 January 2027 and closes on 2 February 2027

You can also find more resources that support NGO and community providers to thrive here:

·         Community Net Aotearoa

·         NZ Navigator

·         Digital Stuff We Love

Events 

The 2026 Hauora Hinengaro Hui Taumata Mental Health Conference programme is now live and registrations are open.

Expect an honest look at what rangatahi and young people want from mental health services, and discussions on key mental health and wellbeing issues for young people today. Youth voice will be woven through the entire day. We'll also reconnect with our 2025 theme to cover what's improved in crisis responses.

Join with hundreds of other people to learn about and debate how to improve mental health and wellbeing outcomes in Aotearoa New Zealand. This event is for clinicians, peer workers, managers, lived experience community, whānau, carers, researchers, educators, policy makers and sector partners.

When: Wednesday 11 November 2026

Where: Pullman Hotel, Tāmaki Makaurau

If you're thinking of bringing a group of 5 or more from the same organisation, email TheMHS team and they will set you up with a group discount.

We're making the conference bigger than last year, with 2 keynote addresses, 2 concurrent streams and a networking event to close things out.

Program Link

Registration Link

What we're reading

Get in touch with the Platform team!

The Platform team is always available to interact with members on mental health and addiction NGO and community sector matters should you have any queries, concerns, or ideas. If you are interested in learning more about the benefits of being a Platform member and joining our collective voice, please don't hesitate to get in touch. 

Memo Musa (Chief Executive): memo@platform.org.nz
Louise Hill (Membership Engagement Coordinator): louise@platform.org.nz