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Published: 1 December, 2022

whānau and community support to access health services, food and necessities Whilst the pandemic led to more loneliness amongst older members of the community, kaumātua worked hard to maintain connections with their communities and whānau in a variety of different ways. It is important that our

Published: 14 May, 2026

. There has been no improvement for people who interact with services in any of the wellbeing measures we highlighted in our previous report. The 22 indicators include: measures relating to social connection, like trust and loneliness; material wellbeing, like income adequacy and going without fresh

Published: 10 October, 2022

wellbeing in our communities. In this report we publish analysis to better understand how mental health has been reflected in media coverage of COVID-19 in Aotearoa. The findings are presented in short, summary form; with a longer technical report providing greater detail on the data, methodology, and

Published: January 2026

Māori and people with lived experience of mental distress, substance harm, gambling harm or addiction in all that we do, as outlined in our Lived Experience Position Statement . Your views are important to us, and we encourage you to have your say to improve mental health and wellbeing outcomes for

Published: 17 June, 2020

The Mental Health Commissioner has today released a report , providing insights about mental health and addiction services. Chair of the Initial Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission, Mr Hayden Wano, says that this report is timely and signals how Government can enhance the response to He Ara

Published: 24 March, 2026

A think tank convened by Te Hiringa Mahara created space for ‘blue sky’ thinking about the future role primary and community care can play in supporting people with mental health and substance use needs. To share the outcome of the think tank workshop held in August 2025, we have published a short

Published: 22 August, 2024

acute services Current picture of service access Visions for acute care Evidence of what works Examples that demonstrate the success and benefits of alternative models to acute inpatient care. Downloads Acute options for mental health care insights paper pdf, 1.1 MB Download Acute options for mental health care insights paper docx, 5.8 MB Download

Published: 21 February, 2022

I would like to welcome our newest member, Tuari Potiki, to the Board of the Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission. Tuari exemplifies leadership and has had a big influence on policy and service development. He continues to work in a place of manaaki and bring a voice of whānau in his work and

Published: January 2026

  We are advocating for change from a coercive to a choice-based mental health system. The changes we are calling for can be made now. Repeal and replace the Mental Health Act New legislation must be co-designed with people with lived experience of compulsory treatment, uphold Te Tiriti o

Published: 25 July, 2023

you will know Barbara from the significant roles she has had in the mental health and addiction sector over the years, including the Inquiry into Mental Health and Addiction in 2018. We will welcome Barbara at our next meeting.   The role of the Board is to provide strategic guidance and