NZAC announces its support for mental health review

News release: NZAC announces its support for mental health review

The People’s Mental Health Review Campaign just received an endorsement from one of the country’s leading counsellor representative bodies.

The NZ Association of Counsellors (NZAC) has announced its support for a review of the public mental health system.

It joins organisations like the New Zealand Nurses Organisation, the Drug and Alcohol Practitioners Association Aotearoa and the NZ Public Service Association.

NZAC Te Ahi Kaa Gay Puketapu-Andrews says the association has a duty to promote social justice, and she is calling on NZAC members to make a submission.

“Personally, I think the public mental health service is an issue. It’s a challenge to have full confidence in the way it stands now.

“It appears there are systemic problems which mean people are not being cared for in the way they should be in order to become well or recover following some kind of mental health crisis.

“Furthermore, people are often not given the follow up and longer term support they need to maintain that wellbeing.”

The review is fronted by a group of New Zealanders including comedian Mike King and psychotherapist Kyle MacDonald, in conjunction with community campaign group ActionStation.

While Ms Puketapu-Andrews appreciates identifying the issues is another problem in itself, she hopes the review will shed light on the mental health service’s struggles.

“It seems we don’t know what the problems are, we just know people are not being responded to consistently in crisis situations and in receiving ongoing care.

“That’s why the review is required – to understand what’s happening.”

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