This is a collection of peoples stories, articles, and essays of self -stigma associated with mental illness. It is the first book of its kind to be published on this topic.

You can order this book from the Mental  Health Foundation :
www.mentalhealth.org.nz

Edited by Dr Debbie Peterson and Sarah Gordon
Foreword by Judi Clements, CEO Mental Health Foundation of New Zealand
Contributors: Dr Debbie Peterson, Mary O'Hagan, Sarah Gordon, Dr Lynne Pere, Anne Helm, Vito Malo, Dean Manley, Ivan Yeo, Sarah O'Connor, Dennis Duerr, Niki Smith, Ruth Jackson and Alex Barnes.

For more information Click Here

The Mental Health Commission will be visiting the following areas as a part of their work program for 2009 / 2010. These visits help them collect information for a yearly report that they give to the Minister of Health. The commission invites people that have used mental health services, their families and providers of care to come and share their experiences.

Below is a list of our next upcoming district sector visits:

For more information about these visits please contact Liz Tomescu on:
04 9178920 or etomescu@mhc.govt.nz

 The Mental Health Commission strongly supports the initiatives announced today directed at reducing the harmful impact of Methamphetamine (P or ICE) use in NZ, but cautions against not missing the big alligator in the swamp – alcohol.

“The raft of proposed measures are what’s needed in terms of them being comprehensively aimed at the production and supply of the drug as well as assessment and treatment of users,” said Dr McGeorge Chair, Mental Health Commission.

Dr McGeorge who has spent the past 5 years working as an Emergency Psychiatrist in Kings Cross area in inner city Sydney, has been exposed first hand to people who have presented with the range of side-effects commonly associated with the use of P including severe anxiety and depressive symptoms, paranoia and extreme aggression.

“While the more common symptoms associated with misuse are anxiety, depression and suicidality there is nothing quite like a person deranged on P and there is no question that an overall strategy is needed to deal with its ravages,” said Dr Mc George.

However he questioned the amount of investment in terms of a singular focus on methamphetamine saying that many P users in fact use many drugs including alcohol and cannabis.

“ In focusing only on P the Government risks missing the big alligator in the swamp – namely alcohol,” he said.

“Alcohol is still far and away the most important drug that we need to combat in terms of misuse. It can be associated with significant mental health problems itself including all of those associated with P,” he said.

In welcoming the huge and comprehensive funding of the P programme Dr Mc George hopes that the Government will respond in kind to the recommendations of the Law Commission’s "Alcohol in our Lives" report. Given the enormity of drug and alcohol problems in New Zealand and especially among youth it is important that existing services are not compromised no matter how valuable new initiatives may be.

“ It is critical to ongoing management of alcohol and drug addiction services that the P beds are to be added to the total number of residential treatment beds and are not a substitute for existing services, Dr Mc George said.

Dr Mc George also noted that in high volume areas, such as South Auckland, the benefits of assigning mental health beds in Hospital Emergency Departments has been well documented overseas and could be another option to consider.




For further information please contact:
Gabrielle Huria
Media Advisor
Mental Health Commission
029 371 3904

Researchers discover five ways to happiness

A focus on wellbeing can help counteract mental health problems and the increasing behavioural and emotional problems that NZ is experiencing at present and reflected in increasing family violence and other negative social statistics.

Mental Health Commission Chair Dr Peter Mc George says that, “despite the progress made in reducing suicide rates overall by around 25% over recent years, the fact that New Zealand once again has the highest youth suicide rate in the OECD in the 15-19 age group, means as a nation we have to lift our game in the same ways as our sporting teams have done over the years”.

Speaking at the start of Mental Health Week whose theme is “Winning ways to Wellbeing” Dr McGeorge said that, “while it might seem a radical idea there is an increasing evidence base that if people pay systematic attention to the small everyday things that are part and parcel of the essentials of life they can reduce stress and improve their mental health, relationships and functioning at work.”  “This may contribute to reducing family stress and perhaps over time the terrible things that can result from this in terms of domestic violence, child abuse and longer term mental health problems,” he said.

At this time of economic recession and increasing unemployment it is especially important to have ways of maintaining ones mental health because of the known relationship between unemployment and mental health problems.

The Mental Health Commission, which provides independent advice to the Minister of Health on the functioning of mental health services throughout NZ, supports the international research undertaken by the Foresight Foundation in the UK which indicates that wellbeing can be improved in 5 simple ways, “connecting with others, being active, taking notice of the world around you, learning something new or taking on a new challenge and giving to others”.

The Mental Health Commission has a vision for New Zealand where “as a nation we all have the means to sustain our mental health and wellbeing, and when any one of us experience mental illness and/or addictions we are able to lead our recovery by participating in our communities, receiving support from our families and accessing high quality, responsive services.

“The practical advice of the Foresight Foundation may seem very simple things to do but they work for people if they are take them on. It can be difficult to find the motivation for change but the benefits are worth it. It is important to remember what people in the fitness and life coaching industry say namely that motivation starts you going and habit sustains you,” says Dr Mc George.

“The people of New Zealand are far too important to put up with the negative social statistics still evident in the nation. I urge people to look out for Mental Health Week events and take part in them. Something not only needs to be done, it now can be done. We have the technology, we have the heart and we can do it,” says Dr Mc George.



For further information please contact:
Gabrielle Huria
Media Advisor
Mental Health Commission
029 371 3904

The effects of discrimination against people who experience mental health issues can result in people feeling excluded from many activities that make up an ordinary life. It can affect their ability to enjoy and function in their life and community and their ability to both get and stay well. The paper Mental Health and Social Inclusion: Concepts and Measurement explores the concept of social inclusion for people who experience mental health issues, the benefits and possible limitations of using a social inclusion paradigm and the issues that need to be addressed in developing a measuring framework. It discusses the questions: What is meant by social inclusion? Is social inclusion worth measuring for people with mental health problems? and, If so, how can it be measured?

Please click on the link below to download the paper.
 

Download here

Mental Health Commission welcomes the Government youth opportunities package

The Mental Health Commission is fully supportive of the government’s $152 million package to create new work, education and training opportunities for unemployed young people, announced last week.

“Being unable to find a job is a stressful difficult time for many adults but for young people just beginning their working life long term unemployment can be devastating and have long term consequences,” said Chair Commissioner of the Mental Health Commission Dr Peter Mc George.

The government’s plan to create 16,900 new opportunities will go a long way to boost the youth job, training and education market.

“Those 16 -20 year olds who are unemployed for a lengthy period are far more likely to be unemployed at later ages in their lives. At a time when it is important for young people to develop the discipline of regular work and earn the rewards of regular wage unemployment can lead to feelings of marginalisation and of being of little value to society,” said Dr Mc George.

“Being dependant on the dole for everyday living reduces a young person’s access to private institutions such as banks and insurance companies that others can turn to for help in reducing the uncertainties of life. It also means that learning how to allocate time in one’s day, so important to personal development, is likely to be compromised,” he said.

Young people with existing mental health issues are particularly vulnerable as being unemployed may reinforce their feelings of exclusion from society.

“Due to feelings of shame and passivity young people may retreat from their social network and reduce their social contacts only to those in the same position. The Commission supports the governments’ investment in youth and their future,” said Dr McGeorge.


For further information contact:
Gabrielle Huria
Communications Advisor
Phone 029 371 3904.
 

Please download it here

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Te Kani Kingi
Chair

Te Kani Kingi is Director of Te Mata o te Tau, The Academy for Maori Research and Scholarship at Massey University in Wellington. He has a specialist interest in mental health research, psychometrics, and Maori health. He was responsible for the development of Hua Oranga, a Maori measure of mental health outcome, and was part of the New Zealand Psychiatric Epidemiology research team. He has formally been an executive member of the New Zealand Public Health Association and currently sits on the National Health Committee and the National Ethics Advisory Committee.

Te Kani was born and raised in Poroporo, near Whakatane, and has tribal affiliations to both Ngati Awa and Ngati Pukeko. He attended St Stephen’s School in Bombay, and later studied at Waikato University, Waiariki Institute of Technology, and Massey University.
 

Graham Roper

Graham has developed an in-depth understanding of the Mental Health sector over many years. This understanding has grown through both the lived experience of mental Illness and a leadership role. Graham has been the Consumer Advisor to a DHB Mental Health Service for the past four years.

Graham also currently chairs the National Association of Mental Health Consumer Advisors.

Other participation and collaboration involvement includes the Mental Health Commissions’ ‘Service User Reference Group’, the National Personality Disorder Advisory Group and a number of less formal collaboration projects.

A recent key role was as co-chair of an ‘online orientation’ project with The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists.

Graham’s background includes 18 years as an advanced paramedic, adult educator and aero medical specialist. He was awarded “fellow” of the Institute of Ambulance Officers for his services to Ambulance Officers.

Current initiatives include development and patent holder for the utilisation of cell phone text messaging for emergency use/information.
 

Claire Moore

Claire leads a team of mental health service evaluators, who have experience of using the services themselves, at Counties Manukau DHB. One of the unique aspects of the evaluation framework used by the team is a multi-perspective approach. When evaluating the services the team hear the perspectives from clients, family, staff, NGO’s and other agencies. This places Claire in a unique position to understand the wide range views of all stakeholders and to understand issues relating to the collaboration between the Provider and NGO sectors. As evaluators of mental health services the team make recommendations for improvements to the services incorporating the concepts of recovery whilst drawing on supporting leading mental health documents.

Claire was the recipient of the Blueprint Centre for Learning Advanced Executive Leadership and Management (AELMP) Award for 2007.
 

Lealofi Sia

Lealofi is New Zealand born Samoan and is the Project Manager of the Pacific Mental Health & Addictions for Counties Manukau District Health Board. Lealofi’s knowledge base consists of lived experiences, clinical practice and funding & planning experience. He has made significant contributions locally and regionally for Pacific mental health & addictions. Lealofi has an understanding of Pacific health issues, in particularly mental health & addictions in New Zealand. He is committed and acknowledges the importance of continuing education. He has just completed a post graduate diploma in Health Science and is now undertaking masters in Business Administration.

Leo McIntyre

Leo McIntyre was born in Nelson, raised in Upper Hutt, near Wellington, and was educated at St Patrick's College Silverstream. Leo worked as an apprentice painter and decorator for the NZPO and Telecom before a back injury ended his career shortly after qualifying. Leo experienced a period of depression but then retrained to work at the Police National Video Unit in Porirua. As a result of overexposure to extremely explicit forensic video material Leo developed Post Traumatic Stress Disorder which forced him to resign. He returned to the paint industry, working for Resene Paints, and began studying NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming), after which he decided to pursue a career in mental health. Leo completed his undergraduate degree in 2002. He worked part-time from December 2003 as the manager of Temp Solutions; an award-winning Wellington-based employment agency that specialises in placing people with experience of mental illness in short-term employment. He also studied part-time for a BA (Hons) Psychology at Victoria University of Wellington, graduating in May 2006. Leo currently works for Temp Solutions full time, and has served as Chairperson for Balance NZ since 2005. He lives in Wellington with his partner Sally Kopp. 
 

Chris Taua

Chris’ professional career is centred within mental health and disability nursing and education. She currently works as a Lecturer at CPIT (Christchurch), is Chair of the Mental Health Education and Resource Centre and Editor of Te Ao Maramatanga: NZ College of Mental Health Nurses E newsletter. Chris has a sound knowledge and understanding of governance, leadership, Government policies and strategic directions within NZ’s mental health and social services. The core values (dignity, equality, justice and autonomy) which guide her work are underpinned by her simple but critical belief that every human being is an individual who must be protected against the abuse of power. She views incidents of discrimination as “teachable moments” taking advantage of the opportunity to help individuals reflect upon their beliefs in order to value others beliefs.
 

Rob Warriner

After working in the textile, building, and daily farming industries, the mental health sector is Rob’s fourth career. After 11 years with AMHS based in Takapuna, latterly as Community and Business Development Manager, Rob was appointed Chief Executive of WALSH Trust in 2003. He is a determined advocate for the continued development and growth of community-based mental health services. He was instrumental in researching and developing a supported employment service designed to meet the needs of people who experience a mental illness, and was a founding member of ASENZ. Rob is a Trustee of Platform Trust, co-chair of Waitemata DHB Provider Executive Group, and is also a member of the Mental Health Advocacy Coalition (MHAC) and Waitemata DHB Combined Stakeholder Network.
 

Simone Molenaar

Simone hails from the shores of Lake Rotorua and the tulip fields of the Netherlands. Her mother is from the King Country, Mt Ruapehu and her father is from Zuid Scharwoude in Langedijk, North Holland. She has a big family on both sides that keep her fires stoked. She lives in Hamilton and works within the health and social service sector.
She has a passion for effecting positive change in society especially in the area of primary mental health. Her aim is to always view the cup half full and to practice strength based approaches to change. Believing in people and their abilities is fundamental in her approach to life and learning. She values the importance of reflective practice in both the professional and personal spheres of her life in order to keep working toward being the best that she can possibly be.
Simone’s qualifications include BSocSc, ELMP and HLAP. She has 15 years experience working within the education, health and social service sector (disability and mental health) including previous roles at Linkage Trust - Case Manager and Project Manager; Project Manager NPE (Progress to Health); Student Disability Advisor & Tutor in Psychology - University of Waikato.
She has been involved in various community groups over the years in a voluntary capacity that have also assisted with her growth and learning’s.
 

Hayley Theyers

Hayley is currently employed by CADS (Community Alcohol and Drug services) in Auckland with the consumer team, acting as a conduit for consumer feedback. She has worked in different parts of the service including Pregnancy and Parental, in counselling units, and in Inpatient and Community Detox as well as the Methadone Service. She has strong links in both nationwide Addiction and Mental Health consumer networks. She would like to see more integration between Addiction and Mental Health services, especially as it has been suggested that 87% of people living with addiction issues also have mental health concerns.
Her interests other than work are collecting vinyl (especially late 60’s psychedelia), she reads voraciously, and chases sunsets with her children.
 

Dr Monique Faleafa (DClinPsy)

Monique is the National Manager of Le Va, the Pacific Mental Health workforce development programme for New Zealand that sits within Te Pou. She brings with her a background in clinical psychology, mental health and Pacific research, DHB service experience, and 10 years serving in a Pacific NGO. She is passionate about enhancing responsiveness of services and strategies to meet the needs of Pasifika families. Monique is of Samoan descent with connections hailing from Lano village on Savaii and Fusi village at Safata on Upolu, Samoa.

Taone O’Regan

Taone O’Regan is the Manager of Atareira, a Wellington Mental Health organisation providing services to people who have experience of mental health difficulties and their family and whanau . As well as a transitional housing service and computer based training centre they offer an education programme for schools and community groups about mental illness and stigma. Atareira is an affiliated branch of Schizophrenia Fellowship NZ and has a specific role in providing information, support and advocacy to family and whanau affected by mental illness.

Taone worked as a nurse in Carrington and Wellington Hospitals before broadening her experience overseas in a range of mental health services. Settling in East London for 13 years she developed an interest in Service User led organisations and housing which she is has continued since her return to New Zealand.
 

Elliot Bell

Elliot is a clinical psychologist and lecturer at the University of Otago, Wellington. In addition to his research and teaching background at the University, he has worked clinically across both the public and private sectors in mental health since 1995. Prior to being appointed to the Advisory Group, Elliot had been the New Zealand College of Clinical Psychologists (NZCCP) representative on the Commission’s Practitioners Reference Group. Elliot is passionate about client centred collaborative approaches to treatment and rehabilitation in mental health, and the importance of consumers having choices in their care, including access to evidence-based talking therapies.

Lynda Thoumine

Lynda has been involved in the area of mental health from a service user perspective for eight years. Having been part of the following groups in some capacity she lists them more for reference to her wide experience: Like Minds Like Mine, Wellington, Kapiti Choices, Journey Forwards, Leadership and Acute services work streams, Parents Advisory Group, Buddies Advisory Group, Streetbeat project, and various other mental health groups.
Lynda is currently the Consumer Advisor, to the Operations Director, at Te Korowai – Whariki. She leads the Consumer Advisory Council and the Consumer Team at TKW. Lynda has been a service user herself for 41 years and she is also a family member of other service users.

Lynda lists amongst her hobbies, reading, writing (she is a published writer) and breeding her Bichon Dogs.
 

Gavin Pilkington

Gavin has a deep commitment to improve services for, and the lot of, older adults, and their family’s, living with mental health issues – especially those living with the psychiatric complications of dementia and other major medical and neurological issues.

Gavin has worked exclusively with older adults and their families, mainly in community settings, since 1990. His work has been as a full time clinician (Specialist in Psychiatry of Old Age) in the public health system. He has been the Older Adult representative on the Waitemata District Health Board Mental Health Stakeholder Network since its inception; and is also the Older Adult Representative and Work stream co-chairperson on the Network North Coalition. He is a member of the Faculty of Psychiatry of Old Age, the International Psycho Geriatric Society.

His goal in serving on the Commission Advisory group is to advocate for an increased voice and improved services for Older Adults.

Working with families and whanau enhances outcomes for youth consumers and provides benefits for their families and mental health and addiction services. Most services recognise the importance of family and whanau participation and endeavour to involve families. These two publications provide an overview of how services may achieve this.

Please click on the links below to download these booklets.
 

 
The Commission is pleased to announce the appointment of the following people to its new advisory group.

Te Kani Kingi (Independent Chair)
Elliot Bell
Monique Faleafa
Leo McIntyre
Simone Molenaar
Claire Moore
Taone O'Regan
Gavin Pilkington
Graham Roper
Lealofi Sio
Christine Taua
Hayley Theyers
Lynda Thoumine
Robert Warriner

Bio's of our new advisory group members will be available soon.

Contact Us

We look forward to your inquiries. You can contact us by phone, post or email.
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