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Published: February 2026

Wellbeing Commission will be publishing on the Access and Choice programme, as the five-year roll-out period is now complete. Te Hiringa Mahara released reports in October 2021 and November 2022 to provide independent updates on the implementation of the programme. This report builds on our two previous

Published: 4 November, 2025

Te Hiringa Mahara - Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission, is calling for a cohesive national mental health crisis response system by June 2027. “A highly effective crisis response system is at the heart of mental health and addiction services. When people are in crisis it is often where the

Published: 25 June, 2026

The Minister for Mental Health Hon Matt Doocey has announced changes to the composition of the Board of Te Hiringa Mahara – Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission. The current chair Hayden Wano is standing down in July. The independent crown entity’s new chairperson is Dr Barbara Disley, and Dr

Published: January 2026

In 2025 we finalised an updated organisational strategy. This covers the four years to 2029 and sets out how we will achieve our vision and mission. The 2025-2029 Statement of Intent reflects this refreshed direction. Agreement to a new strategy followed a thorough review process, consultation and

Published: 14 June, 2021

Commission set to move forward on advancing Aotearoa’s wellbeing agenda The Chair of the Commission Board, Hayden Wano, has today announced the appointment of its new Tumu Whakarae - Chief Executive for the Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission. Karen Orsborn steps into the Chief Executive role

Published: 1 October, 2020

and Pacific communities. People told us: Support starts and continues with people and communities, not services. The former Mental Health Commissioner’s framework was viewed as being too narrow but was something that could be refined and built upon. The voices of Māori and tāngata whaiora are crucial

Published: 13 December, 2023

Te Hiringa Mahara Chief Executive Karen Orsborn shares highlights from our 2022-23 Annual Report. In our second full year we have ramped up our efforts as kaitiaki of mental health and wellbeing in Aotearoa. In this short note I am sharing some of the highlights from the 2022-23 year, with our full

Published: 16 June, 2022

In early June we provided an article on coercive practices to the New Zealand Herald for consideration as part of its Great Minds campaign on mental health. The article, by our Chief Executive Karen Orsborn, pointed out that coercive practices continue in Aotearoa New Zealand despite evidence they

Published: 30 June, 2022

The most important terms in He Ara Āwhina are explained here, along with complex terms that are not ‘everyday language’. We have also included words that people told us needed more explanation during our public consultation on the draft He Ara Āwhina framework. Where we have made use of other

Published: 10 July, 2023

This report looks at compulsory community treatment orders (CCTOs) made under section 29 of the Mental Health Act 1992. The focus is on amplifying voices of tāngata whaiora, whānau, and family. We heard that the clinical review and the court hearing processes involved in CCTOs can silence or