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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: 4 November, 2025

, Director, Take Notice Dr Leeanne Fisher, National Chief Mental Health and Addiction, Heath New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora The session was chaired by Dr Barbara Disley, Te Hiringa Mahara board member. This webinar was the third in a series we have run covering the Commission's work programme examining

Published: 27 September, 2024

. The role of the Board is to provide strategic guidance and oversight of our work and make sure that we perform our functions effectively and in a financially-responsible manner. Up to seven members are appointed by the Governor-General, under the Crown Entities Act 2004.   Read the joint Ministers' media release:  Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission board appointment announced Meet our board members

Published: November 2025

strengthen lived experience leadership in the system and drive cross-government leadership to address mental health and wellbeing. We make the following calls to action: 1.   Ensure Māori lived experience leaders are prioritised in the changes to health system structures following the

Published: 17 May, 2023

Too many young people experiencing acute mental distress are being admitted to adult inpatient mental health services, and this practice needs to stop. This is according to today’s Te Hiringa Mahara – the Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission report Te Huringa Tuarua 2023: Youth services focus

Published: 3 April, 2025

documents progress establishing the programme, with recommendations on how to ensure it reaches its full potential. “The introduction of the Access and Choice programme has filled gap in support and has substantially increased access for people seeking help for mild to moderate mental health

Published: April 2026

monitoring framework He Ara Āwhina. This describes what an ideal mental health and addiction system looks like and is used to monitor the mental health and addiction system. He Ara Āwhina amplifies the voices of tāngata whaiora and whānau. It expresses each system aspiration from both a perspective of Te Ao

Published: 27 June, 2023

increased investment in kaupapa Māori mental health and addiction services over the last five years, the level of investment into kaupapa Māori services remains at less than 11 per cent of the total mental health and addiction expenditure. In addition: Māori, who make up 17 per cent of the population

Published: 10 July, 2025

Te Hiringa Mahara hosted a webinar outlining findings from our 2025 Assessment of wellbeing for people who interact with mental health and addiction services .     Webinar - Achieving equitable wellbeing outcomes for tāngata whaiora: what we know, what needs to change recording. The

Published: February 2024

. What people share with us will help us to better understand changes in the number of people who use mental health and addiction services. Who do we want to hear from? We want to hear from people who have experience of mental distress, alcohol or other drug harm, gambling harm, or addiction who have