Better Mental Health and Wellbeing for all New Zealanders

The national vision for the New Zealand Mental Health sector is that as a nation we have the means to sustain our mental health and wellbeing, and where any one experiencing mental illness and/or addiction is able to access high quality, responsive services.

Mental illness and addictions are increasing through out the developed world.

What is the Mental Health Commission’s role?

The Mental Health Commission advises the Government of New Zealand on the requirements of people experiencing mental health illness and addictions, and to advocate for improvements in the way mental illness and addiction are perceived and responded to.

There are currently three Commissioners that report directly to the Minister of Health. Our Chair Commissioner Dr. Peter Mc George is supported by two other commissioners Ray Watson and Bice Awan.

Find out about the people involved in the Commission

Ministers
Organisational Structure
 

The Commission’s Actions

The Mental Health Commission’s term runs until 2015. It has been set up to lead and influence the implementation of The National Mental Health Strategy (Te Tahuhu):

• Advocating for service users and their families
• Promoting collaboration
• Reducing discrimination
• Monitoring
• Supporting service development and stimulating research 

The Commission's Goal

Through monitoring and advocacy we promote the ongoing development of effective recovery-focused services, to enable the recovery and well-being of people who experience mental health and addiction challenges in their lives.

The commission has three strategic objectives. They are:
    1. Effective funding
        Funding is used effectively and providers are efficient.
    2. Quality services
        Services are recovery-focused, accessible, safe,
        innovative and effective.
    3. Reducing stigma and discrimination
        Stigma and discrimination is reduced.
 

How does the Mental Health Commission work?

The Commission uses monitoring and advocacy as the pathways to promote effective recovery oriented services.

Monitoring
Information is gathered from communities, service users, their families, clinicians, managers and others through regular district visits, consultation with key bodies, on-line surveys and forums and relevant databases to identify progress with the implementation of Te Tahuhu (The National Mental Health Strategy) and the development of effective, recovery-focused services.

Advocacy
Leading and collaborating with others to promote the sustainable improvements needed to establish an effective, recovey-orientated mental health service system. Advocacy takes into account the interests and views of a range of diverse stakeholders, including service users and their family/ whanau, service providers, as well as the wider community.

+ Read more about the guiding documents we use here