Articles tagged with Mental Health Minister
South Island Needle Exchange Programme Launches to Reduce Substance Harm
2 days ago | 95 viewsMental Health Minister Matt Doocey officially opened the South Island Needle Exchange Programme, New Zealand’s first harm reduction initiative aimed at preventing substance-related harm and reducing blood-borne infections like HIV and hepatitis C. The programme, delivered by the Te Waipounamu Collective, provides not only clean equipment but also health information, overdose prevention, and referral services to support people at all stages of addiction. This initiative complements broader government efforts, including increased investment in substance harm prevention, workforce expansion, and community-based support services, resulting in improved health outcomes and reduced addiction-related harms.
Tags: Matt Doocey South Island Needle Exchange Programme Te Waipounamu Collective Ngā Kete Mātauranga Pounamu Trust He Waka Tapu Poutini Waiora Te Piki Oranga Mental Health Minister HIV preventionSouth Island’s First Crisis Recovery Café Opens in Christchurch for Mental Health Support
3 weeks ago | 380 viewsSouth Island’s first Crisis Recovery Café has opened in Christchurch, providing a calm, peer-led space for people experiencing mental distress as an alternative to emergency departments. The café, run by local organizations with lived experience in mental health and addiction support, offers immediate access without referrals and connects clients to long-term community services. This initiative is part of a broader mental health plan aimed at faster crisis response, increased frontline workers, and expanded peer support across various settings in New Zealand.
Tags: Crisis Recovery Café Christchurch Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey Purapura Whetu Odyssey House Trust Stepping Stone Trust peer support mental health addiction supportNew Zealand Exceeds Mental Health Workforce Targets, Reduces Wait Times
1 month ago | 306 viewsThe New Zealand Government has exceeded its mental health workforce target, increasing frontline mental health and addiction professionals by over 11%, which has improved access and reduced wait times for support. Key achievements include training 514 new specialists, surpassing targets for clinical psychology interns and psychiatry trainees, and allocating 25% of funding to prevention and early intervention for the first time. As a result, 83% of people receive primary mental health support within one week, and 82% receive specialist support within three weeks, contributing to improved mental health outcomes nationwide.
Tags: Matt Doocey Mental Health Minister Health NZ clinical psychology interns psychiatry trainees occupational therapists social workers registered nurses Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission New Zealand GovernmentNew Child Mental Health Service Opens in Counties Manukau for Faster Youth Support
1 month ago | 304 viewsA new dedicated child mental health service, Te Ooritetanga oo ngaa Ratonga moo ngaa Tamariki, has been launched in Counties Manukau to provide faster access and early intervention for young people up to intermediate school age facing moderate to severe mental health challenges. This specialist team, part of the Infant, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services, includes a range of professionals and aims to support the region's rapidly growing youth population with wraparound care. Funded by an $18.7 million government investment, the initiative is part of a broader plan to expand the mental health workforce and improve crisis response to prevent youth from falling through the cracks.
Tags: Matt Doocey Counties Manukau Te Ooritetanga oo ngaa Ratonga moo ngaa Tamariki ICAMHS child mental health youth suicide New Zealand Mental Health Minister Health NZ whānau workersMental Health Innovation Fund Round Three Expands Access Across New Zealand
1 month ago | 287 viewsThe Mental Health and Addiction Innovation Fund in New Zealand has entered its third round with changes to increase access, including revising the requirement for an independent Social Return on Investment (SROI) report to a more flexible proposal-based approach. These adjustments respond to sector feedback by lowering barriers such as matched-funding thresholds and allowing community organizations to better demonstrate outcomes while maintaining robust evaluation. With $20 million allocated over two years, the Fund aims to support grassroots initiatives that improve timely access to mental health and addiction services, protect public specialist services, and deliver scalable, evidence-based solutions.
Tags: Matt Doocey Mental Health Minister New Zealand Mental Health Addiction Innovation Fund Women’s Refuge Social Return on Investment Grassroots Organisations Mental Health Workforce Crisis ResponseSeven Funded Mental Health Initiatives Boost Support for NZ Communities
2 months ago | 439 viewsSeven grassroots mental health initiatives supporting diverse and underserved communities in New Zealand have received funding to provide early, practical wellbeing support before crises develop. These projects focus on tailored approaches such as family wellbeing, empowering women, cultural connection, and accessible movement, targeting Māori, Pasifika, rainbow, rural, and disability groups. The funding is part of the Mental Health Foundation’s Top Up community grants scheme, which complements the national campaign promoting the Five Ways to Wellbeing for improved mental health.
Tags: Matt Doocey Mental Health Minister Tupu Oranga Ngātahi Mauri Tū Mauri Ora Moving with Mauri TOI WāHine WELLfed Pēpē Māmā Te Ara o te Hue Fa‘atauanau Mental Health FoundationNew Te Piringa Āhuru Crisis Recovery Café Opens in South Auckland
3 months ago | 667 viewsMental Health Minister Matt Doocey officially opened Te Piringa Āhuru, a new Crisis Recovery Café in South Auckland, providing a calm, peer-led, non-clinical space for people experiencing mental health or addiction challenges. The café, run by Ember, offers peer support workers who connect individuals to community services and provide empathetic understanding from lived experience, enhancing hope and recovery. This initiative is part of a broader government mental health plan to expand crisis recovery cafés nationwide, increase frontline workers, and improve crisis response services.
Tags: Matt Doocey Te Piringa Āhuru Ember South Auckland New Zealand Whanganui New Plymouth Whakatāne Mental Health Minister Crisis Recovery CaféFour New Community Forensic Step-Down Beds to Open Early in Waikato
3 months ago | 534 viewsFour new community-based forensic step-down beds will open early in March through a partnership between Ember Services Limited and Health NZ, accelerating the government's Mental Health Plan commitment. Funded by Budget 2025, these beds aim to improve access to specialist forensic services, supported by community teams and specialist staff to ensure patient and public safety while facilitating gradual reintegration and reducing relapse risks. This initiative complements existing facilities and forms part of a broader strategy to enhance mental health support, frontline staffing, and crisis response.
Tags: forensic beds community based beds Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey Ember Services Limited Health NZ Waikato Budget 2025 mental health plan specialist forensic servicesNew Community Forensic Step-Down Beds to Open Early in Waikato
3 months ago | 577 viewsFour new community-based forensic step-down beds will open early in March through a partnership between Ember Services Limited and Health NZ, accelerating the government's Mental Health Plan commitment. Funded by Budget 2025, these beds aim to provide faster access to specialist forensic services, supported by community teams and specialist staff, to safely reintegrate patients transitioning from inpatient forensic care. This initiative enhances bed capacity alongside a new acute forensic inpatient facility in Waikato and forms part of a broader strategy to improve mental health support, frontline staffing, and crisis response.
Tags: Ember Services Limited Health NZ Matt Doocey Mental Health Minister Waikato Budget 2025 forensic beds community based beds Mental Health Plan frontline workersMental Health Workforce Grows 11% with Vacancies Halved in New Zealand
4 months ago | 776 viewsThe frontline mental health and addiction workforce in New Zealand has grown by over 11% under the current Government, resulting in significantly reduced vacancy rates across key professions such as social workers, nurses, and counsellors. This workforce expansion has improved access to mental health services, with more than 83% of people receiving primary support within one week and over 82% accessing specialist services within three weeks. The Government’s focused mental health workforce plan, implemented in response to previous challenges, is delivering faster support and aims to continue this positive momentum into 2026.
Tags: Matt Doocey Mental Health Minister Health New Zealand clinical psychology psychiatry social workers mental health nurses drug and alcohol counsellors Health Workforce Information ProgrammeNew Zealand Boosts Mental Health Support with Funding for Community Programs
4 months ago | 627 viewsNew Zealand’s Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey announced increased funding for four grassroots organisations to improve early access to mental health support, focusing on prevention and removing barriers. The funded projects include expanded early intervention, digital support services, workplace mental health programs, and culturally tailored assistance for Asian communities, collectively reaching thousands nationwide. This initiative, supported by the Mental Health Innovation Fund, aims to reduce wait times and ensure timely, appropriate mental health care across diverse communities.
Tags: Matt Doocey Hearts and Minds The Loft MATES in Construction Asian Family Services Mental Health Innovation Fund New Zealand Mental Health Minister community organisations mental health supportNew Compassionate Stillbirth Registration Process Launched for Grieving Parents
5 months ago | 464 viewsThe Government is improving the stillbirth registration process to be more compassionate and supportive for grieving parents, moving away from the standard online form designed for live births. Health NZ and the Department of Internal Affairs are collaborating to enable registrations through the Whetūrangitia website, which offers a culturally safe and sensitive experience tailored to families experiencing baby loss. This initiative aims to provide dignity, care, and appropriate support during a traumatic time, benefiting the hundreds of families affected by perinatal loss annually in New Zealand.
Tags: Matt Doocey Mental Health Minister Health NZ Department of Internal Affairs Whetūrangitia stillbirth registration perinatal loss miscarriage grieving parents New Zealand governmentTop Up Campaign Empowers Over 3 Million Kiwis to Boost Mental Wellbeing
5 months ago | 508 viewsThe nationwide Top Up campaign, launched in August to promote the Five Ways to Wellbeing, has reached over 3.2 million New Zealanders and attracted 115,000 website visitors in four months, exceeding expectations. The campaign encourages simple, evidence-based daily actions to boost mental health and aims to shift the focus from crisis to prevention, supported by government funding for community initiatives. Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey highlights the strong public engagement as a positive step toward reducing stigma and fostering proactive mental wellbeing across all communities.
Tags: Matt Doocey Top Up campaign Mental Health Minister New Zealand Mental Health Foundation VML Five Ways to Wellbeing Mental Health Targets Community Grants Scheme KiwisPeer Support Workers Enhance Mental Health Crisis Response in Auckland Hospitals
7 months ago | 614 viewsMental Health Minister Matt Doocey celebrates the inclusion of peer support workers in North Shore Hospital's Emergency Department, marking the completion of the service's implementation in all major Auckland hospitals. The initiative aims to provide timely and tailored support for individuals in mental distress, enhancing their experience in busy emergency settings. The positive impact of peer support specialists is recognized nationwide, leading to plans for expanding the service across the country to improve mental health outcomes and crisis responses.
Tags: Matt Doocey Mental Health Minister peer support workers North Shore Hospital Emergency Department Auckland hospitals mental distress peer support specialist mental health crisis New Zealand's first Minister for Mental HealthGovernment Launches First Crisis Recovery Café in Whanganui to Support Mental Health
8 months ago | 796 viewsThe Mental Health Minister opened Whanganui’s new Crisis Recovery Café at Aunty’s Café, the first of six cafés being rolled out by the Government nationwide. These cafés, led by Balance Aotearoa and iwi providers, offer peer-led, non-clinical support for individuals facing mental health or addiction challenges in a community setting. The Government aims to reduce pressure on traditional crisis systems by providing faster access to support, increasing frontline workers, and enhancing crisis response through initiatives like crisis cafés and peer support specialist roles in emergency departments.
Tags: Matt Doocey Mental Health Minister Crisis Recovery Café Balance Aotearoa Te Oranganui Hāpai Mauri Tangata peer support specialist mental health plan Health NZ frontline workers