Kia Kōrero
Let's Talk – August 2026

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

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

• What's on my desk? 
• MH&A Sector General Election Debate - Monday 31 August
• Next Steps in AI Workshop for Platform Members - Thursday 20 August
• Contract renewals, transition to Long Form Agreements (LFA) and Agreement Lifecycle Management (ALM) system
• Demonstrating Value and Impact
• Mental Health and Health System Reforms
• Mental Health & Addiction Data Stewardship Group - Sector Update
• What we heard from Regional Navigate Groups
• Upskill Your Workforce in Physical Wellbeing Support
• Careerforce Real Heroes Award
• Round Four of the Workforce Futures Fund - Opens 10 August
• Consultations
• Navigate Policy Group - Policy Library Update
• Access to online resources
• What We're Reading 

What's on my desk?

As we head towards the General Election, Platform continues to focus on the issues that matter most to our members: sustainable funding, greater contract certainty, meaningful outcomes measurement, and ensuring the voice of the NGO sector is heard in policy and system reform.

Recent advocacy with Health NZ has centred on securing the implementation of multi-year agreements for NGOs, while our work on outcomes measurement and data stewardship is helping build a stronger evidence base to demonstrate the value and impact of NGO services. Together, these initiatives support a more sustainable sector and better outcomes for tāngata whaiora and whānau.

This month also brings important opportunities to learn, connect and influence. I encourage members to register for our upcoming AI Workshop and to make the most of the workforce and policy resources highlighted throughout this newsletter.

Most importantly, make your voice count. Join us in Wellington in person on 31 August for the Mental Health and Addiction Sector General Election Debate. This is our opportunity to come together as a sector, engage directly with political leaders, and ensure mental health and addiction remain a priority for the next government. Our collective voice is powerful, when we work together, we achieve more.

Ngā mihi nui,

Memo

Mental Health and Addictions Sector General Election Debate - Monday 31 August 

A call to action: Our collective voice is powerful, make it count!

We are just 4 weeks away from the MH&A Sector Election Debate, seats are filling up fast - please register your attendance here.

A post-Election Debate breakfast will be hosted for Platform Members at Salmond House on Tuesday 1 September - register here.

Next Steps in AI Workshop for Platform Members

Be in quick to reserve the last few spots for the Platform Members' Next Steps in AI Workshop on Thursday 20 August at 10am. 

Facilitated by Andrew Nicol of Mosaic Partners, Next Steps in AI is a practical, interactive online session focused on helping participants get more value from the AI tools they already have access to.

Duration: 2 hours

Date: Thursday 20 August, 10:00am - 12:00noon

Cost: $80 + GST per person

For more information and to register, click here

Contract renewals, transition to Long Form Agreements (LFA) and Agreement Lifecycle Management System (ALM)

Through the MH&A Partnership Group, we have worked closely with Health NZ to support a nationally consistent approach to 2026/27 contract renewals, with the goal of providing greater certainty for NGOs. This includes transitioning contracts to the new Long Form Agreement (LFA) framework, incorporating multi-year terms, and moving to the Agreement Lifecycle Management (ALM) system.

The shared objective was for 80% of MH&A NGOs to be on multi-year agreements (approximately three years in duration) within 12 months from December 2025.

However, Platform members have reported significant variation in implementation across Health NZ regions. Some NGOs are yet to receive renewal agreements, while others have been offered extensions of only 12 months.

We have raised these concerns directly with Health New Zealand and Minister Doocey, and proposed solutions to address the inconsistencies. Discussions are ongoing, with our focus remaining on ensuring that the Government’s expectation for multi-year agreements is delivered for MH&A NGOs during this financial year.

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:

Te Tauihu Youth Wellbeing Service

The Nelson Marlborough youth wellbeing service delivers early intervention and support to youth aged 12–24 (and their whānau) who are experiencing mild to moderate mental distress. It serves over 17,000 youth within the Nelson Marlborough health district with a focus on Māori, Pacific peoples and underserved populations. It is jointly delivered by Nelson Bays Primary Health, Kimi Hauora Wairau, Health Action Trust and Te Whare Mahana.

Vaka Tautua Pacific-led mental health and wellbeing services

Guided by the Pacific value of nofo ‘a kainga (families caring for families), Vaka Tautua focuses on holistic, culturally tailored support to address mental health challenges and promote wellbeing within Pacific communities. Vaka Tautua supports Pacific individuals and families, addressing mental health conditions, recovery from addiction, physical health needs, housing and financial challenges. In 2023/24, the organisation assisted 2,423 individuals, with services primarily accessed through community outreach and self-referrals.

These examples show that mental health and addiction NGOs have a collaborative approach that adds value to deliver results and improves outcomes and access, which is one of five government mental health and addiction targets.

Te Whare Whakapiki Wairua Alcohol and Other Drug Treatment Court

Odyssey House Trust provides the coordination of treatment, rehabilitation and reintegration services for Te Whare Whakapiki Wairua, which offers an innovative alternative to incarceration for individuals whose offending has been influenced by unresolved problems with alcohol and other drugs. It supports individuals who, without intervention, would otherwise serve a prison sentence and potentially miss out on opportunities to engage in AOD treatment and support.

Mental Health and Health System Reforms

Parliament has passed the Mental Health Act 2026 and the Healthy Futures (Pae Ora) Amendment Act 2026, with both receiving Royal Assent on 8 July.

Mental Health Act 2026

Replacing the Mental Health (Compulsory Assessment and Treatment) Act 1992, the new Act introduces a stronger rights-based approach, with greater emphasis on supported decision-making, whānau involvement, independent advocacy, and reducing the use of coercion. The Act will take effect from 1 July 2028. Platform welcomed many of these changes while noting the need for ongoing investment in community services, workforce development, crisis alternatives, and implementation support.

Healthy Futures (Pae Ora) Amendment Act 2026

The amendments aim to strengthen health system effectiveness and accountability. During the legislative process, Platform raised concerns about the removal of equity provisions, lived experience participation, parity of esteem for mental health and addiction, and the diminished role of Iwi-Māori Partnership Boards.

Platform will continue to monitor the implementation of both Acts and advocate for a health system that delivers equitable and effective outcomes for tāngata whaiora and whānau. Platform will also play an active role in supporting members to understand and prepare for their responsibilities under the Mental Health Act 2026, helping ensure the sector is well equipped for its implementation ahead of 2028.

Mental Health & Addiction Data Stewardship Group - Sector Update

The Mental Health and Addiction (MH&A) Data Stewardship Group met on 6 July 2026 and continued to focus on improving the quality, consistency, and use of PRIMHD data to support service planning, performance monitoring, and continuous improvement across the sector.

Key areas of work included:

• Data quality and consistency: Ongoing analysis identified significant variation in activity coding and reporting practices across districts. Work is underway to better understand reporting discrepancies and strengthen data collection and submission processes.
• Outcome measurement: The Group discussed variation in outcome measure completion rates and agreed further work is required to understand and address factors contributing to inconsistent reporting.
• Balancing measures: Proposed balancing measures for the three core mental health targets have been developed and are progressing through endorsement and governance processes. These measures are intended to support a more balanced assessment of system performance and outcomes.
• Access and Choice: Validation work has strengthened assurance processes for Access and Choice reporting, with a pilot involving Primary Health Organisations completed. Future validation activities will extend to additional provider groups, including NGOs. Development of the provider dashboard also continues.
• PRIMHD improvements: The PRIMHD Stakeholder Group continues to focus on improving diagnosis coding, reducing reporting burden, updating referral guidance, strengthening governance arrangements, and reducing common data errors.
• Diagnosis data quality: Ongoing challenges associated with diagnosis coding and national reporting requirements were discussed, with further work planned to improve consistency and reduce administrative burden.
• Future reporting requirements: Initial consideration was given to the potential implications of the new Mental Health Bill and any future changes required to national data collections and reporting systems.

The Group reaffirmed the importance of high-quality, consistent data to support accountability, service improvement, planning, and investment decisions across the MH&A sector. Key priorities remain improving outcome measurement, strengthening data quality, progressing balancing measures, and preparing for future reporting requirements.  

What we heard from Navigate Groups

Across Navigate meetings from April to June, MH&A NGO providers continued to raise concerns about contracting and funding arrangements. Discussion focused on contract renewals and implementation of the new long-form contracts and ALM contracting system. A related concern was the potential for increasing regional variation in planning, decision-making and funding. Members expressed unease that regional approaches could lead to inconsistencies and inequities between regions and highlighted the need for greater clarity around Health NZ priorities, structures and decision-making processes.

Fuel costs and business continuity pressures were also a recurring theme across regions. Providers reported concerns about rising operating costs, the impact on outreach and community-based services, and in some cases, the sustainability of service delivery models if cost pressures continue.

During this period, we saw the consolidation of the three Te Waipounamu Navigate groups, Southern, Waitaha, and Top-of-South into one Te Waipounamu regional Navigate group. The hui leading up to this were characterised by discussion on the logistics and implications of this. While there was broad support for strengthening connections across the South Island, members also emphasised the importance of maintaining local voices, relationships and communication channels within the new model.

Other topics raised during the quarter included the opportunities and risks associated with AI adoption, housing and disability system changes, and challenges relating to peer workforce investment and development.

Upskill Your Workforce in Physical Wellbeing Support

The Careerforce Support Physical Wellbeing (Micro-credential) Level 4 remains an essential professional development pathway to address the systemic health inequities faced by tāngata whai ora. People experiencing mental health or addiction challenges continue to face disproportionate physical health disparities and reduced life expectancy. This NZQA-approved 10-credit programme builds the vital values, attitudes, and skills your kaimahi need to bridge this gap.

Delivered 100% online over two months, this work-based learning course allows support workers to develop practical skills on the job through the Aka Toi platform.

Core Capabilities for Your Workforce:

• Combat Diagnostic Overshadowing: Train kaimahi to recognize early signs of physical health conditions rather than attributing symptoms solely to mental health challenges.
• Co-Design Wellbeing Plans: Empower workers to collaboratively develop and implement practical, person-centred physical wellbeing plans with tāngata whai ora.
• Navigate Systems Safely: Support kaimahi to confidently identify the scope of their role, knowing exactly when and how to escalate needs to primary care.
• Deliver Culturally Responsive Care: Enhance your team's capability to respect, value, and address the specific health inequities impacting Māori, Pasifika, rainbow, and disabled communities.

Strengthen your organisation's commitment to holistic recovery and workforce capability. Visit the Careerforce Support Physical Wellbeing Page to enrol your kaimahi today.

Nominate a Real Work-Based Learning Hero

Careerforce's Real Heroes Awards celebrate learners and graduates who are making a meaningful difference in their workplaces and communities across Aotearoa.

Nominations are open for current Careerforce learners and graduates (from 2020 onwards) who demonstrate exceptional dedication, compassion, professionalism, and commitment in their work.

The overall winner will receive $2,000 in gift cards, with five runners-up each receiving $250 gift cards. Nominators will also go in the draw to win prizes.

Nominations close 17 September 2026.

If someone in your organisation deserves recognition, nominate them today:
https://www.careerforce.org.nz/real-heroes/

Round Four of the Workforce Futures Fund Opens 10 August

Applications for the Workforce Futures Fund (WFF) | Tahua Rāngaimahi Anamata are open from 10 August to midday, 7 September 2026.

The Fund supports innovative, practical projects that strengthen Aotearoa's care and support workforces. Organisations working in aged support, cleaning, disability support, home and community health services, mental health and addiction support, social services, urban pest management and youth work are encouraged to learn more.

With approximately $4 million available for this round, the Fund continues to support initiatives that strengthen Aotearoa's care and support workforces; enabling greater use of technology, collaboration across workforces, and projects that amplify workforce capacity and capability. These priorities continue to guide Round Four.

This is expected to be the Fund's final formal funding round. In line with our funding strategy Round Four will actively prioritise:

• Māori-led initiatives
• Pacific-led initiatives
• Disabled people-led initiatives

These initiatives remain a funding priority because Māori-led, Pacific-led, and Disabled people-led organisations hold the expertise, relationships and solutions to some of our most pressing workforce challenges.

Of the Fund's total $15 million, $11.3 million has already been invested across 22 projects. You can read more on the funded projects here.

WFF is hosting a Round Four opening information session on Tuesday 4 August at 10am for those who would like more information and a chance to ask questions. Register here.

If you're thinking of applying, please get in touch with Anika Speedy, the EO, early.  Anika can help determine whether your project is a good fit and support you to shape a strong proposal. Contact admin@workforcefuturesfund.nz to arrange a time.

Consultations

We are currently working on a submission on Proposed changes to the Police Vetting Service, which may impact the cost and processes associated with police vetting for NGOs. You can read more about these proposed changes and make a submission by 25 August here.

During June and July 2026, we worked on the participated and contributed submissions on the following consultations and surveys:

• Legislation (Definition of Woman and Man) Amendment Bill
• Summary Offences (Move-on Orders) Amendment Bill
• Parliament - Disability Support Services Bill
• Parliament - Drug Overdose (Assistance Protection) Legislation Bill
• Changing Minds – National Representative Body
• MHWC – Stakeholder survey
• PSA – RespectED
• Parliament – Sale and supply of Alcohol Amendment Bill 2025
• Tāhono Trust – Platform Regulation

Navigate Policy Group - Policy Library Update

We’re pleased to announce that four policies, Complaints Conclusion Letter, Koha and Donations Policy, Delegation of Authority and Delegation of Duties, and Visitors Policy, 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.

Access to online resources

FREE Move Well Resources

Reduce support worker musculoskeletal injuries.

The FREE Move Well resources will reduce the incidence and impact of musculoskeletal injuries within the health and disability sector – reducing days off work and improving job satisfaction.

Developed by MySkill with funding from the Workforce Future Fund – Tahua Rāngaimahi Anamata and designed by Inspire Group alongside support workers and sector leaders, these free resources will strengthen support worker wellbeing and service quality.

Navigator Trust New Zealand 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:

Changes to Lottery Funding: In April 2026 the Minister of Internal Affairs announced changes to the way lottery funding is applied for in the future which Hāpai Hapori Community Matters introduced from 1 July 2026.

Budget 2026 information sheet for charities and non-profits: Included in Budget 2026 were tax policy changes and proposal which may impact on Charities and Not-for Profits. This resource provides information and explanatory notes about the tax policy changes and proposals.

What information Incorporated Societies should keep: This resource provides information about information or records organisation registered as societies must keep to comply with the 2022 Act.

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

• CommunityNet Aotearoa
• NZ Navigator
• Digital Stuff We Love

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
Simon Katz (Policy Analyst): simon@platform.org.nz
Louise Hill (Membership Engagement Coordinator): louise@platform.org.nz