Mental Health, Addiction and Suicide Prevention Update

Kia ora koutou Welcome to our latest Mental Health, Addiction and Suicide Prevention update.  As I reflect on the last few months, I'm struck by just how much has been accomplished across the sector. We’ve reached several significant milestones, including the passage of the Mental Health Act 2026, the launch of the Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy and Implementation Plan, the release of a new suicide prevention capability framework, and continued progress to strengthen harm reduction supports.  These achievements are the result of contributions from many people over many years.

Kiri RichardsAssociate Deputy Director-General,Mental Health, Addiction and Suicide Prevention, Ministry of Health.

I want to acknowledge everyone who has shared their expertise, challenged our thinking, advocated for change, supported consultation processes, and worked alongside us to improve outcomes for people and their families. 

The mental health, addiction and suicide prevention sector is at its best when we work together, and the stories in this newsletter reflect that collective effort. I hope you find them useful and encouraging as we turn our attention from planning to delivery. 

As we look ahead, a significant part of our focus will be on working alongside the sector to implement the Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy and lay the foundations to give effect to the new Mental Health Act.  

At the same time, we recognise that many of the most important contributions to mental health and wellbeing don't make headlines. Every day, people across the country are supporting people, improving services, responding to crises, advocating for change, sharing their lived experience, building stronger communities and helping people access the support they need. These efforts are the foundation on which lasting change is built. 

Thank you for the work you do every day, often without recognition or fanfare. We look forward to continuing to work alongside you to turn the ambitions of the Strategy and the Act into meaningful improvements for the people and communities we collectively serve. 

Ngā mihi nui,

Kiri RichardsAssociate Deputy Director-General,Mental Health, Addiction and Suicide Prevention,Ministry of Health 

Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy and Implementation Plan: Looking Ahead Together

This month marks the launch of the Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy 2026–2036 and its first three-year Implementation Plan. Together, these documents provide a shared direction for improving mental health, addiction and wellbeing outcomes over the next decade, as well as the first steps we will take to help make that vision a reality.

The Strategy has been shaped by extensive engagement across the country. Around 900 people and organisations contributed through public consultation, sharing their experiences, ideas and aspirations. A huge thank you to everyone who took the time to provide feedback, host workshops, or support others to have their say.   Overall, we received strong support for the direction of the draft Strategy, with consultation helping to strengthen a number of important areas.

These include a greater emphasis on the wider factors that influence wellbeing; greater visibility of the diverse communities and population groups who experience mental distress and addiction differently; and a clearer role for lived and living experience leadership in shaping both services and the wider system. 

One of the strongest messages we received was that this could not be "just another strategy". Throughout consultation, people consistently emphasised the need for clear accountability, better measures of the outcomes people actually experience, and confidence that commitments would be backed by meaningful action. That feedback helped shape both the final Strategy and the accompanying Implementation Plan, which places a strong emphasis on delivery and transparent reporting of progress.

The Implementation Plan sets out the first steps towards achieving the long-term vision of the Strategy. It takes a phased approach, recognising that meaningful change takes time while also identifying practical actions that can begin now. Early activity includes strengthening maternal mental health and addiction support, boosting telehealth services, growing peer and lived experience workforces, introducing psychology assistant roles, improving continuity of care, reducing barriers to access and strengthening crisis supports.

The Plan also commits to developing:

·         a Youth Mental Health and Addiction Action Plan,

·         a Strategic Framework for Digital Mental Health and Addiction,

·         a Plan to Eliminate Seclusion.

Perhaps most importantly, both documents acknowledge that improving mental health and wellbeing outcomes is a shared endeavour. Progress will rely on continued partnership with Māori, people with lived and living experience, families, providers, community organisations, employers, government agencies and local communities. 

As implementation gets underway, we look forward to continuing those conversations and working together to turn this shared vision into meaningful improvements for the people and communities we serve.

The launch of the Strategy and Implementation plan at Parliament 6 August 2026

Minister for Mental Health, Hon. Matt Doocey speaks at the launch. From left: ·         Kevin Harper, Chief Executive and Chief Enabler at Changing Minds. ·         Memo Musa, Chief Executive at Platform. ·         Sarah Helm, Executive Director at NZ Drug Foundation. ·         Shaun Robinson, CEO, Mental Health Foundation. ·         Kelly Feng, CE Asian Family Services ·         Hon. Matt Doocey, Minister for Mental Health ·         Alexia Black, National Chairperson Balance Aotearoa ·         Te Puea Winiata, Director at Turuki Health Care.

Deputy Director-General, Public Health Agency, Dr Andrew Old chairs a panel discussion with members of the Expert Reference Group. From left: ·         Kiri Richards, Associate Deputy Director-General, Mental Health, Addiction and Suicide Prevention ·         Audrey Sonerson, Director-General of Health ·         Hon. Matt Doocey, Minister for Mental Health ·         Dr Andrew Old, Deputy Director-General, Public Health Agency

Turning the Mental Health Act into Practice

Following the passage of the Mental Health Bill through Parliament and Royal Assent, the  Mental Health Act 2026 was enacted in July 2026. This marks a significant milestone for mental health in New Zealand. It represents the most substantial reform of compulsory mental health legislation in more than 30 years, setting the foundations for a more modern, rights-based approach to care. 

The new Act strengthens rights and safeguards, promotes recovery-focused and least restrictive care, requires that people are leading decision-making about their own care to the fullest extent possible, and recognises the important role of families and support networks. It also prohibits seclusion for people under 18.  

While the legislation is now law, it does not come into force until 1 July 2028. That was a deliberate decision because there are some significant shifts required to turn the Act's intent into reality. 

The Ministry of Health and Health New Zealand are working closely together to lead and support implementation, and we will continue to engage with the sector as plans develop. Not everyone needs to prepare for everything at once, but there is value in beginning to reflect on what the new Act means for your service, workforce or community. 

For providers, that could mean considering how people are supported to lead decisions about their care, how people’s families are involved, how to strengthen efforts to reduce and eliminate restrictive practices, and what capability or practice changes may be needed over time. For people with lived and living experience and their families, it could mean having conversations about what matters to you, who you want involved in decisions about your care, and how your preferences can be heard and respected when support is needed. 

Importantly, implementation is not simply about preparing for 2028. The Act provides the foundation, but the change we are seeking is better experiences of care. That means continuing to focus now on improving the quality and safety of services, strengthening supported decision-making, reducing restrictive practices, partnering with families, and ensuring care is delivered in ways that uphold people's dignity, rights and wellbeing. Successful implementation will ultimately be measured not by whether the legislation has been passed, but by whether people experience care that is more respectful, responsive and recovery-focused. 

We'll continue sharing updates as implementation planning progresses and as opportunities arise for people and organisations to contribute to this important work. 

Supporting suicide prevention core skills across New Zealand

In July, the Suicide Prevention Office launched Working Together to Prevent Suicide – Core Skills Framework, a new resource developed as part of the Suicide Prevention Action Plan 2025–2029. It contributes to the Action Plan’s goal of growing a capable and confident suicide prevention workforce and community. 

The framework reflects a simple idea: suicide prevention is everyone's business. It has been designed for anyone involved in suicide prevention, from family members through to community organisations, marae, schools, frontline workers and specialist clinicians.

Recognising that many high-quality suicide prevention resources and training programmes already exist, the framework does not seek to replace them. Instead, it helps individuals and organisations identify the knowledge, skills and behaviours relevant to their role in suicide prevention and connects them with existing resources that can support their development. 

The aim is to support a coordinated approach to capability building by promoting a shared understanding of good practice across sectors, while recognising that people have different levels of responsibility and involvement in suicide prevention.  

The framework has been designed as a living document, and the Suicide Prevention Office welcomes feedback on how it is being used and where it could be strengthened. You can contact the Office at suicidepreventionoffice@health.govt.nz.

Harm Reduction in Action: Naloxone now available online

There has been some good news recently for harm reduction and overdose prevention efforts. 

Naloxone, a lifesaving medication that can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose, is now available free of charge through the Needle Exchange’s online shop, making it easier for people, whānau and communities across the country to access. People can also continue to pick up naloxone free of charge from Needle Exchange services in their local community.

Ministry of Health - Manatū Hauora🏠133 Molesworth Street, Thorndon✉ info@health.govt.nzℹ health.govt.nz