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Published: January 2026

advisory committee, and is a member of the following global networks: The Global Leadership Exchange (GLE) brings together and connects mental health leaders to help spread innovation and best practice to improve mental health and addiction services around the globe. The World Federation for Mental

Published: 25 February, 2026

This new data summary provides updated data on access and trends for mental health and addiction services in Aotearoa New Zealand. In most cases, the summary reports on data over the five-year period to June 2025.    We present measures from across the Access and Options domain of our He

Published: 25 June, 2026

and will be welcomed by the Board at the August meeting. After leading the Board of the initial commission and subsequently being appointed chairperson in 2021, Hayden Wano has not sought reappointment as a board member. “We owe a huge debt to Hayden for his leadership and the inspiration he has

Published: 14 June, 2021

and significance of He Ara Oranga, the Government Inquiry into mental health and addiction, will enable the Commission to move forward with a sense of urgency,” he says. He Ara Oranga set out an ambitious vision for wellbeing in Aotearoa. The Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission is charged with

Published: 21 February, 2022

life, and his lived experience will be an enormous asset to the Board. I would also like to congratulate Board member Kevin Hague on his appointment as Deputy Chair and Alexander El Amanni for his reappointment to the Board, both for three-year terms. Read more about the Commission's Board members .

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: August 2025

Experience at the Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission. She is an enthusiastic advocate of the restorative power of being ourselves and has a passion for peer support and the power of lived experience to drive transformation. She joined the Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission in 2024 and has held

Published: 14 February, 2023

of rural communities in Aotearoa New Zealand . Around 16% of the population live in rural areas, and around 35% in total live outside of large urban areas - these figures are higher for Māori. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted and exacerbated pre-existing challenges and has had large impacts on

Published: 3 April, 2025

people seeking help with mild to moderate mental health and addiction needs. The report provides: findings on what was delivered impact on people and the mental health and addiction landscape recommendations for the programme to achieve its objectives Selected key findings from the report on the use of

Published: February 2026

-making legislative framework for specialist mental health care. Regarding policy objectives, we welcome the Bill’s express purposes, principles underpinning limited use of “compulsory care”, and recognition of Te Tiriti o Waitangi. These important changes will partially address policy problems of