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The Government will invest $61.6 million to improve the country’s mental health crisis system with action increasing the number of frontline clinical staff to speed up crisis assessments. 

The funding would also go towards increasing new alternative services to reduce inpatient ward admissions at hospitals and adding more peer-support workers to emergency departments. 

It comes as a series of new reports shed light on the state of the mental health system, highlighting longer wait times for help at emergency departments, and on phone help-lines. 

One report urges the Government to establish a national crisis response system by the end of June 2027. 

“When someone takes the brave step of reaching out, I want that support to be there,” the country’s first Mental Health Minister, Matt Doocey, said. 

“We don’t want people in distress waiting long periods of time for a crisis assessment. With 40 extra clinical staff, more New Zealanders will get faster access to crisis support.” 

The 40 new staff would work on the frontline, assessing people experiencing a mental health crisis, and in treatment settings nationwide. 

“People in crisis shouldn’t be waiting too long for an inpatient bed. Peer-led acute alternative services provide more choice for people experiencing mental health issues, and get people seen quicker.” 

The funding will also increase peer-support workers at emergency departments. Photo / Jason Dorday 

Funding of $2 million per year would establish two new crisis cafes, bringing the total to eight nationally. A crisis cafe is a place people can meet with others to feel heard, supported and safe, Doocey said. 

“EDs are often not the right environment when someone is going through a mental health crisis. Cafés like this one meet people where they are, offering compassionate, peer-led care in the heart of the community.” 

“When someone takes the brave step to reach out, whether it’s you, your child, a friend, or a family member we’re committed to ensuring the right support is always there to answer that call. This package goes a long way in making sure that’s possible.” 

The announcement comes after a series of reports that paint a picture of the strain the mental health system is under. A report in June from the Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission found the system was under “immense pressure” as mental wellbeing worsened, including among young people. 

Another report by the same commission released yesterday showed those in mental distress are waiting longer when they call for help. 

In 2020, people experiencing a mental health crisis waited two minutes to speak with someone. By the end of last year, people were waiting, on average, more than five minutes. 

Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey. Photo / Mark Mitchell 

For those seeking help from hospital emergency departments, the average wait time increased from four hours and 19 minutes in 2020 to five hours and 42 minutes last year. 

Doocey called it “another damning report on the Labour Government’s performance in mental health”. 

“The report clearly shows that distress and crisis response is too fragmented, we’ve got to join that up. It takes too long to get support, we’ve got to have faster access. Ultimately, we need a better crisis response.” 

A recently released report from Sir Peter Gluckman revealed despair about the state of the world is underpinning the crisis in youth mental health, including hopelessness about the future and helplessness in changing it. 

Julia Gabel is a Wellington-based political reporter. She joined the Herald in 2020 and has most recently focused on data journalism.