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Published: February 2026

greatest extent possible. We submitted on the Mental Health Bill, introduced into Parliament in October 2024. Download and read our full submission on the Mental Health Bill (2024) (PDF 284KB)       Summary of our submission on the Mental Health Bill This Mental Health Bill is a step

Published: 7 May, 2026

extreme weather events in recent years, and we can expect mental distress and harm from problematic substance use to increase after future events. These events take a heavy toll on people and communities, and the impacts can last well beyond the initial emergency. “Mental health support must be included

Published: 4 January, 2023

Te Hiringa Mahara congratulates our Board Chair Hayden Wano on being made a Companion of the Queen’s Service Order in the New Year’s Honours List 2023, for his service to Māori health. The award reflects Mr Wano’s 40 years-plus health sector experience in mental health, community and medical

Published: 20 May, 2022

We commend the Government’s Budget 2022 investment in specialist mental health and addiction, particularly the investment in community-based crisis services, specialist child and adolescent mental health and addiction services, and Kaupapa Māori services.  "We see this latest announcement as a

Published: 5 June, 2024

On 5 June 2024, we released Kua Tīmata Te Haerenga | The Journey Has Begun —our latest monitoring report on mental health and addiction services. This report focuses on access to mental health and addiction services and options available over the five-year period from July 2018 to June 2023. &nbsp

Published: 16 June, 2026

As an integral part of our advocacy work, Te Hiringa Mahara - Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission often comments on and makes recommendations in response to consultation documents, regulations, draft bills, and regulations that may impact on the mental health and wellbeing of people in Aotearoa

Published: 31 March, 2026

disproportionately subjected to some of the most harmful practices in our mental health system,” says Director Mental Health and Addiction Sector Leadership, Sonya Russell. “Māori account for 55 percent of all adults placed in seclusion, despite making up just 17 percent of the population. Māori are also more likely

Published: 30 June, 2022

About the framework We have created a framework called  He Ara Āwhina , which means pathways to support. He Ara Āwhina describes what an ideal mental health and addiction system looks like. This will be used to assess, monitor, and advocate for improvements to the mental health and

Published: May 2026

This report and infographic on the state of wellbeing, and priorities to support greater wellbeing for Pacific peoples in Aotearoa, was published in May 2024. Assessment of youth and rangatahi wellbeing and access to services infographic This quantitative assessment of mental health and wellbeing

Published: 18 February, 2025

Data released today by Te Hiringa Mahara – Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission shows that fewer people accessed specialist mental health and addiction services in the year from July 2023 to June 2024 than in previous years. Recently available data shows a decrease of over 3,000 fewer people than