Wellbeing outcomes for people who interact with mental health and addiction services

Our 2025 wellbeing assessment provides the first comprehensive assessment of the status of wellbeing for people who interact with mental health and addiction services. Our findings show that people who interact with services consistently face greater barriers to wellbeing than people who don’t interact with services.

People who interact with mental health and addiction services are less likely to have good individual and family wellbeing, have lower household income, poorer physical health, and experience higher discrimination compared to people who don’t interact with services. There is also lower access to protective factors such as social connection. For Māori, connection to culture and whānau continue to be  critical enablers for improved wellbeing outcomes.

Inequities in a broad range of outcomes are especially pronounced for people who use specialist mental health and addiction services, disabled people and people who identify as lesbian, gay or bisexual. Systematic inequities reflect broader social, economic and cultural factors beyond the mental health system alone. Addressing these disparities requires coordinated cross-sector and cross-agency responses that tackle the underlying determinants of mental health and wellbeing.

This assessment will inform our ongoing advice on strategies, policies and system improvements to advance equitable mental health and wellbeing outcomes for people with lived experience of mental distress and addiction.

Key findings:

• People who interact with mental health and addiction services face greater barriers to wellbeing

• Increased economic opportunities are required to improve wellbeing outcomes for people who interact with mental health and addiction services

• Action toward improved social connectedness will support prevention and recovery from mental distress

• Promoting a sense of belonging and inclusivity will better support wellbeing for people who interact with services

• Connection to culture is an enabler for Māori mental health and wellbeing

• Whānau is a solution for supporting improved Māori mental health and wellbeing outcomes