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Published: 25 February, 2026

high psychological distress, our findings show fewer were seen by specialist services in the most recent year, and wait times show little sign of improvement. “We are not alone in sounding the alarm, yet we continue to see too many young people missing out on vital specialist mental health and

Published: 16 June, 2022

, a lack of recognition of people's expertise to manage their own distress, and a lack of safe, accessible community-based options for acute care and crisis support. It is concerning that there is a persistently higher application of mental health law to Māori. For many people, the experience of compulsory

Published: 10 March, 2026

In this article Karen Orsborn, Chief Executive, outlines what needs to be done to promote online safety for rangatahi and young people.  Online spaces are now integrated into many young people’s lives, and Aotearoa, NZ has some of the highest rates of youth engagement in online spaces media in

Published: 20 May, 2025

now passed the Bill back to Parliament to be finalised. This marks another significant step in Aotearoa New Zealand’s process to repeal and replace the Mental Health Act 1992. However, there are no wholesale changes to the Bill recommended in the report, despite many submitters stating that the Bill

Published: 24 September, 2021

on growing our mental health and addiction workforce at pace.” The Commission provides system leadership and oversight by monitoring people’s wellbeing in Aotearoa and the things that help us to be and stay well, as well as assessing how our mental health and addiction system supports our wellbeing

Published: 5 June, 2024

and Choice programme in primary care has increased access and expanded options for people with mild to moderate mental health and addiction needs. However, access to specialist services has decreased, with people reporting challenges accessing these services. We look at the access challenges faced

Published: 1 December, 2021

We are currently in the important stage of mahi (work) to develop the methods and measures for how we will monitor and assess the mental health and addiction system. Phase 1 of this work was completed at the end of 2022, and mahi will continue for measures where data does not exist or are not

Published: 10 July, 2023

or override tāngata whaiora and whānau perspectives. The report also documents how clinical reviews and court hearings marginalise Te Ao Māori and lived experience perspectives.  The number of people subjected to a Compulsory Community Treatment Order under the Mental Health Act increased by 8

Published: December 2025

;were asked to assess progress and provide evidence for their assessment. The assessment covered both how much had been done to achieve the recommendation and how well it had been done.   This progress report illustrates that substantial progress has been made overall

Published: 8 December, 2021

experience good wellbeing, most of the time. The report also found that a concerningly large minority of people and communities experience persistently poor wellbeing. “This may not come as a surprise to many, but that does not make it any less concerning,” says Board Chair, Hayden Wano. “When a person