Investment In Youth Mental Health Services

4 April 2012
Media release

Investment In Youth Mental Health Services And Suicide Prevention Is Paramount

The Families Commission applauds Prime Minister John Key for his announcement this morning, which outlined significant investments into youth mental health services.

The Commission is well aware that mental health issues are a significant risk factor for New Zealand’s appalling youth suicide statistics. Chief Families Commissioner, Carl Davidson believes that the new suite of investments will provide additional resources for schools, communities and families to better asses and treat young people with mental health issues.

“Sixty two million dollars, spent wisely, should go a long way to providing the support that vulnerable youth need to improve their overall wellbeing and make a difference in preventing youth suicide”, says Mr Davidson.

“New Zealand has some of the highest rates of teenage suicide among OECD countries. What is concerning is that the suicide rate for young men aged 15 to 24 is the second highest for any other OECD country. While three times more males commit suicide in New Zealand, the female youth suicide rate is currently the highest it has been since 1999. Suicide among Māori is significantly higher than among non-Māori. Action to stop these statistics is paramount”.

Between fifty and sixty 15 -19 year olds commit suicide each year in New Zealand. “This is an appallingly high figure,” Mr Davidson says. “For so many of New Zealand’s teenagers to think that their lives are not worth living, is an indictment on our whole society.” The Chief Families Commissioner also notes that, in addition to teen suicides, around 25 children aged between 10 and 14 have committed suicide in the past three years.

“The suicide of a child or teen is absolutely devastating for any family and whānau. It is families and whānau who bear the brunt of the loss, along with feelings of guilt and confusion as to why their child took his or her life,” Mr Davidson says.

Risk factors for youth suicide include:
-- depression; and
-- a disturbed or unhappy family background
-- educational and social disadvantage
-- mental health or behavioural problems
-- stressful life events such as a relationship breakup or family crisis.

“In 2010 we looked in depth at one district, to give an idea of the availability of services and the gaps. The Honourable Paula Bennett asked us to focus on Masterton. We found there to be a large gap in the availability of youth mental health services. Families had a high threshold to meet before they could access the child and youth Mental Health Services and often they were forced to travel outside the Wairarapa. I can imagine this example is indicative for many other communities throughout the country. This shows that the extra funding and services announced by the Prime Minister today are much needed. This should bring a welcome improvement in families’ access to mental health services for their children.”

“Protecting children and youth from suicide is intimately connected with supporting the family and whānau,” say Mr Davidson. “Strengthening families, reducing family violence and child abuse and providing adequate care – including mental health care - for children in welfare services, are sound preventative strategies.”

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For more information on the Families Commission research visit www.nzfamilies.org.nz.

The Families Commission is a centre of excellence for knowledge about family and whānau in New Zealand.

It generates and analyses knowledge about families and whānau to inform and influence policy development, programme management and family service delivery.

Through independent and impartial research and evaluation, the Families Commission has built an authoritative and robust knowledge base about issues relating to family and whānau.

Subject specialists are widely knowledgeable about family and whānau and are available for comment on key family issues.

An autonomous Crown entity, the Commission was established in 2004 under the Families Commission Act 2003.

ENDS

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