Search

Published: 15 December, 2025

Having a plan to support the workforce and address workforce shortages, government funding for improved prevalence information, and better data systems will now provide a solid foundation from which effective changes can be designed and implemented.

Published: 31 May, 2023

“The workforce has grown for specialist adult mental health and addiction services over the last five years, but workforce vacancies have doubled. We want to see a clear strategy and roadmap to address the ongoing workforce shortages.

Published: 19 April, 2024

[BB2]  We agree with the proposed content of the strategy, with the addition of further clarification on the wellbeing and workforce aspects of the strategy. By adding workforce we will ensure consistency with the workforce elements of the other strategies in the Act.

Published: 18 February, 2025

This included a call for Health NZ to develop a mental health and addiction workforce plan to address service capacity and workforce shortages by June 2025. “We will be keeping a close watch on access and will publish further information in the coming months.

Published: 16 June, 2026

/26 to 2027/28 submission, October 2024 pdf, 278 KB Download HDC Code and Act review submission, August 2024 pdf, 207 KB Download Oranga Tamariki (Repeal of Section 7AA) Amendment Bill submission, July 2024 pdf, 394 KB Download Review of Adult Decision-Making Capacity Law submission, June 2024 pdf, 339

Published: 12 September, 2023

We also released a report on the peer support workforce.

Published: January 2024

Download our Board meeting summaries below 2024 meeting summaries Meeting 44 - 5 December [PDF, 172KB] Meeting  43 - 24 October [PDF, 170KB] Meeting 42 - 5 September [PDF, 169KB] Meeting 41 - 25 July [PDF, 171KB] Meeting 40 - 6 June [PDF, 170KB] Meeting 39 - 24 April [PDF, 170KB] Meeting 38 - 7

Published: 19 August, 2026

The focus is on post-2010 unless a study had specific relevance. 274 studies were included, of which 39 focus on Indigenous approaches.  The assessment was on the highest level of evidence, where possible using systematic reviews and meta-analyses.

Published: 31 May, 2023

vacancies in specialist adult mental health and addiction services have doubled between 2018 and 2022, and we want to see a clear strategy and roadmap to address growing workforce shortages Coercive practices continue to be widely used, particularly for Māori and Pacific peoples.

Published: 28 October, 2021

“Recruitment into the workforce for services has been a challenge, particularly for Kaupapa Māori and Pacific services. “The Commission would like to see more investment in the peer support workforce, which would ease shortage issues and help diversify the workforce,” says Wano.