Chorus Awards Funding To The University Of Auckland To Evaluate Clearhead, An Online Mental Health Platform

Chorus has awarded funding to researchers at the University of Auckland to evaluate an online platform providing mental health support for New Zealanders. This public-private partnership between the University and the telecommunications company is key to ensuring digital platforms are responsive to the mental health and wellbeing needs of Maori and other New Zealanders.

The purpose of the 12-month research initiative, led by The University of Auckland, is to evaluate the barriers to, and enablers of, engagement by Māori with an online platform to support mental health and wellbeing. This initiative aligns with Chorus’ goal of creating greater digital capability so Kiwis can make the most of the fibre network it has been rolling out over the last 10 years.

Dr Amy Chan, a senior clinical research fellow at the University, is the lead researcher working with Chorus on this project.

“With the COVID-19 pandemic, we have seen increasing rates of distress and impacts on our mental health and wellbeing. This research will explore innovative ways of responding to the mental health and wellbeing needs of our communities, and seeing if an online solution such as Clearhead is an acceptable and effective way of providing mental health support,” Dr Chan says.

“This is particularly important as mental health needs are on the rise and pressures are increased on our healthcare workforce.”

Dr Angela Lim, CEO and Co-founder of Clearhead (https://www.clearhead.org.nz/), says Māori face a disproportionately higher rate of mental health distress but are less likely to seek help. Clearhead is a digital solution intended to change this by providing an alternative pathway to seek mental wellbeing support. The Clearhead platform is also available in te reo Māori and the ubiquity of the mobile phone makes this digital mental health support more accessible for Māori.

“The Clearhead platform includes an artificial intelligence (AI) wellbeing assistant, which helps users better understand their mental health status by conducting a simple mental health assessment. The digital wellbeing assistant similar to a therapist will then triage, refer and educate the users based on their risk profile and produce a personalised wellbeing plan that also monitors their mental health progress over time,” explains Dr Lim.

The research team, comprising researchers from pharmacy (Dr Amy Chan), psychological medicine (Assoc Prof Fred Sundram, Dr Liesje Donkin) and computer science (Prof Jim Warren) at the University of Auckland, and from primary care from Otago University (Prof Tony Dowell), will be working with Maori communities (Aaryn Niuapu, Lived Experience Project Lead for Te Pou and member of Te Kete Pounamu) to explore their views about online mental health support. They will be starting this mahi in the coming months, working closely with Te Kete Pounamu, with results expected late 2022.

“We have strong networks with Māori communities including those with lived experience of mental health. We will use these networks to reach out to Māori communities to identify the factors influencing engagement with the online platform, Clearhead, to see if it is an acceptable, safe, and effective way of delivering mental health support,” says Dr Chan.

“We are so grateful for the support from Chorus which will help us identify what makes an online intervention acceptable to Maori when providing mental health support that aims to deliver equitable outcomes”.

Hannah Taylor, Chorus’ Corporate Social Responsibility Manager, is proud of the partnership with Clearhead, especially as the rising mental health demand continues to be an area of concern in our communities.

“The idea behind Clearhead and passion shown by the team behind the initiative is truly heart warming and such a fantastic example of putting our digital capabilities to good use.

“Chorus is really pleased to be backing Clearhead to make meaningful change,” Taylor said.

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