The Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission is currently consulting the public on He Ara Āwhina (Pathways to Support), a framework that describes what an ideal mental health and addiction system looks like.
The framework will be used to monitor mental health and addiction services, monitor changes as the system transforms and advocate for improvements to services.
It was co-designed by people with expertise in Te Ao Māori, experience of mental distress, addiction, substance harm, or gambling harm, youth, public health, and clinical expertise.
On April 5, the NZ Drug Foundation and DAPAANZ (Drug and Alcohol Practitioners' Association Aotearoa New Zealand) hosted a session with MHWC for people working in or receiving services from the addictions sector to provide their perspectives on the framework.
The session gave participants in our sector an opportunity for feedback and discussion on the framework. See MHWC’s presentation here.
The consultation closes on 19 April, 2022. If you wish to make a submission see here.
New Zealand is losing three people a week to preventable overdose, while hospitalisations from stimulants like methamphetamine and cocaine are increasing alongside a recent surge in consumption.
Our annual report compiling coronial and hospitalisation data.
There is common ground among parties on reducing drug harms and supporting addiction treatment, suggesting progress can be made in the next term.