Have your say on New Zealand's Mental Health & Wellbeing Strategy
The Ministry of Health is asking for feedback on the draft Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy. This document will be the backbone of the health system’s approach to mental health and wellbeing issues.
“This Strategy will set the direction for how the health system improves mental health and wellbeing outcomes for New Zealanders over the next ten years. That includes improving mental health and addiction support, preventing suicide, and reducing harms from substance use and gambling.”
- Ministry of Health
It’s really important that the voices of people who use drugs are included.
Why is it important for people who use drugs to have a say?
All New Zealanders can be affected by issues that the Strategy aims to address. And people who use drugs may be interested in this policy for several unique reasons. Some of these reasons include:
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Some people who use drugs may do so to help with their physical health, mental health, or to help their social functioning in different roles.
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While most people who use substances use them in a non-addictive pattern, some people are at risk of substance use disorders (addiction).
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Even occasional substance use carries risk of serious harm, because the unregulated nature of the drug markets makes it hard to know for sure what substance people are consuming.
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People who use drugs are at risk of criminal prosecution and experience stigma that can make access to healthcare challenging.
Share your thoughts with the Ministry of Health
Making an online submission directly to the Ministry of Health through the online consultation hub.
How else can you share your views?
There are many ways to contribute. You can participate in a consultation hui, or you can share your thoughts in writing. You can choose one of the options, or you can even provide your comments in a hui and in writing as well if you choose to. The options include:
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Making an online submission directly to the Ministry of Health through the online consultation hub.
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Taking part in an online consultation hui for people who use drugs run by a peer with lived experience from the New Zealand Drug Foundation. It is a non-judgmental space dedicated to people who use drugs and their whānau. The session will take place online on Thursday, 7 May 2026, at 12.30pm, finishing by 2.00pm at the latest. Register via this link.
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Taking part in an online consultation hui organised by one of the partner organisations who are supporting the Ministry of Health in this process. These organisations are Changing Minds (lived experience of mental health issues), Te Kete Pounamu (focus on tangata whenua lived experience), and Synergia and Shea, Pita and Associates. Specific details are available on the Ministry of Health website.
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Emailing feedback directly to the Ministry of Health. You can also print out the form and mail it, using traditional post. Details are available from the Ministry of Health website.
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Provide feedback in New Zealand Sign Language by accessing the Ministry of Health Seeflow page.
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You can even run your own consultation session by using the community toolkit provided by the Ministry of Health to submit feedback from a group of people. The toolkit and further details on how to do that are available from the Ministry of Health website.
If you have any comments about the strategy that you do not want to share directly with the Ministry of Health, you can leave an anonymous comment with the NZ Drug Foundation using this link. We will then pass on your anonymous comments to the Ministry of Health.
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