Clearway

A roadmap to a mental health system for all

Six years ago, on 24 June 2020, the Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission Bill was read for the third time and commended to the House. Subsequently, the Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission, later Te Hiringa Mahara, was established. The Commission was envisaged as a way to provide confidence that the Government was on track through independent, system-level oversight of mental health and wellbeing in Aotearoa New Zealand, and to hold the Government of the day and other decision-makers to account for their contribution to the mental health and wellbeing of New Zealanders.

That role matters today as much as six years ago. Of course, the world has changed since 2020. The Bill was passed at the peak of the pandemic, and the effects of that period, alongside other pressures, have contributed to increasing rates of psychological distress, particularly among young people, Māori and other population groups.

Through our five years of monitoring, we have seen good progress in areas where there has been sustained focus, including access to services, wait times and workforce. But we have also seen where progress needs to accelerate, especially for young people and Māori.

We know mental health is a cross-government and whole-of-government issue, with responsibilities that sit across education, justice, health, social development and beyond. Action is needed on the broader factors that influence mental health and wellbeing.

But first and foremost, the mental health and addiction system must do its part well. That is why this Roadmap is deliberately focused on what can be strengthened inside the MHA system now: earlier support, easier access, effective crisis response, a stronger workforce, and services that centre people with lived experience and their whānau.

Ultimately, we want a system that listens to people and includes their voices; supports people early before distress becomes crisis; is easy to access; responds effectively and compassionately when crisis does happen; and places people with lived experience and their whānau at the centre. Under these three high level priorities, we have identified 9 specific actions (see the full roadmap below). 

Designed to help decision-makers focus

Overall, this roadmap is designed to help decision-makers focus effort and investment where it can make the greatest difference. Some of the actions we are calling for are already underway or listed in the recently released Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy and implementation plan, but what is needed now is acceleration, coordination, and sustained attention.

The Roadmap aims to build momentum for action within the mental health and addiction system so that people can access services and supports when they need them. It sits alongside two other important areas of work: action to minimise the factors that contribute to distress, and action to strengthen prevention and support people to maintain their own mental health and wellbeing.

There is still significant work to do across New Zealand’s policy settings, systems and services to ensure that all population groups are fairly represented, and that their needs and interests are meaningfully reflected in policy and practice at every level. The roadmap sits alongside many other pieces of work, including calls to action and recommendations to improve wellbeing and mental health and addiction services. So, while the roadmap does not expressly mention disability – or the 12 priority population groups specified in Schedule 2 of our Act – it is broad in nature and is grounded by what we have heard from tāngata whaiora and whānau.  

You  can read the full roadmap here:

https://www.mhwc.govt.nz/roadmap-for-mental-health-addiction-and-wellbeing/