Better mental health and wellbeing for our people
Te Hiringa Mahara is kaitiaki of mental health and wellbeing.
We contribute to better and equitable mental health and wellbeing outcomes for all people in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Nau mai, haere mai | Welcome
Te Hiringa Mahara (Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission) is kaitiaki of mental health and wellbeing in Aotearoa New Zealand. We were established as a result of He Ara Oranga, the 2018 inquiry into mental health and addiction, as an independent Crown entity at arms-length from the government of the day.
Our objective is to contribute to better and equitable mental health and wellbeing outcomes for all people in Aotearoa. We perform an enduring role in transforming Aotearoa New Zealand's approach to mental health and wellbeing. We have made a strong commitment to ground our work in Te Tiriti o Waitangi and improving mental health and wellbeing outcomes for Māori and whānau. This is front and centre of who we are and what we do.
We are committed to prioritising the voices of people who experience mental distress, substance harm, gambling harm or addiction, and advocating for their needs and aspirations.
New monitoring report on Access and Choice
Access and Choice Programme: Monitoring report on progress and achievements at five years is our 2025 monitoring report on the Access and Choice programme that was rolled out in 2019. Published April 2025.
Access to specialist mental health and addiction services continues to decrease
Fewer people accessed specialist mental health and addiction services in the year from 1 July 2023 to 30 June 2024 than in previous years.
Where has the funding gone?
This new Budget 2019 to Budget 2022 investment in mental health and addiction report focuses on where key mental health and addiction investments have been spent as of 30 June 2023. Published: August 2024.
Expanding alternative acute care choice
This new insights report focuses on acute options that can provide an alternative to acute inpatient care. Increasing the range of acute options provides people with viable and welcome alternatives that allow them to stay safe and supported in their local community.
