Government Boosts Funding for New Plymouth Crisis Recovery Café
Minister for Mental Health Matt Doocey announced increased government funding for New Plymouth's local crisis recovery café, run by Taranaki Retreat, to provide a calm, peer-led alternative to emergency departments for those in mental distress. This investment is part of a broader mental health plan that includes expanding peer support roles and establishing new crisis recovery cafés nationwide by June 2026. The initiative aims to deliver faster access to support, more frontline workers, and improved crisis response through community-based solutions.