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The Mental Health Commission works with a range of media using a variety of methods to promote our work and raise awareness of mental health and addiction issues.
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6 September 2011, Mental Health Commission urges greater emphasis on peer support
The Mental Health Commission believes peer support needs to become a vital part of the mix of future mental health services in order to keep pace with the growing demand for treatment.
Demand for mental health services is expected to double over the next decade which could exacerbate ongoing staff shortages in mental health and addiction, says Chair Commissioner Dr Lynne Lane.
The Commission has just released a publication called The Power of Peer Services in Mental Health and Addiction, which recommends greater recognition of the effectiveness of peer support services. It has been launched to coincide with TheMHS (Mental Health Service) conference in Adelaide.
“When you have someone who has recovered from mental distress or addiction trained to help, it can be a very effective way of avoiding a crisis,” says Dr Lane. “Peer services have also been proven to be high quality and cost effective.
“With resources likely to become increasingly under pressure in the future, peer services need to be better integrated into the mix of care we can offer people with mental distress or addiction.
“The evidence we’ve seen from the United States, Australia and the UK shows that such services can reduce demand on inpatient services, and improve the overall quality of services.”
The Mental Health Commission serves as an independent monitor for the Government of mental health services. It advocates for people with experience of mental distress or addiction and for their families.
1 September 2011, Walking with the Taniwha – book launch
The launch of Walking with the Taniwha - a brutally honest, humorous and uplifting autobiography about drug addiction and the path to recovery – will make an important contribution to the debate about mental health and addiction.
The book, written by Paul Bennett and first released in 2005, now includes a further seven years of insight into an inspirational journey of recovery from the impact of mental illness and addiction.
The latest edition will be launched at the Cutting Edge conference at the Rendezvous Hotel in Auckland, 1-3 September.
Cutting Edge is an annual conference for the alcohol and other drug sector hosted by DAPAANZ, the Addiction Practitioners' Association of New Zealand. The theme for this year’s conference is “Recovery and Wellbeing”.
At the age of 18, Paul Bennett had the world at his feet. He was an accomplished surfer and the first Māori to represent New Zealand in surfing.
But Paul was becoming increasingly involved in the drug and alcohol culture. While he gave the impression of being a ‘Māori Warrior’ without a care in the world, he actually felt sad, angry and empty.
After 25 years of addiction to both illicit and prescribed medication, and the consequent damage to his health, Paul’s doctor gave him months to live. But Paul refused to accept that fate, instead creating his own path to recovery.
Paul has rewritten his autobiography following another seven years of recovery and has included his ongoing self discovery about the drivers of his addiction.
The Mental Health Commission, which helped to fund editing and publishing of the book, is pleased to support Walking with the Taniwha. Books about recovery from mental illness and addiction, from a New Zealand perspective and by a Mäori author, are rare. It will be an invaluable resource for anyone interested in addiction, wanting to recover from addiction, their families and those working in the addiction sector.
Paul’s story shows that no matter how far down the path of addiction and the self destruction that encompasses addiction, you can recover.
For a copy of the book:
paulbennett57@xtra.co.nz
ph: 021-892828
For more details:
Dr Lynne Lane
Chair Commissioner
Mental Health Commission
04 474 8900
17 August 2011, National Indicators – a picture of mental health and addiction in NZ
