Community investment announced for World Mental Health Day

Major community investment announced for World Mental Health Day

Waitemata District Health Board (DHB) will today launch its new approach to mental health and addiction care as part of an international day to recognise mental health education, awareness and advocacy.

The Our Health in Mind initiative will see the DHB invest $1.4 million each year to help more people in the Waitemata district to get better sooner though earlier and improved access to local mental health and addiction support, assessment and treatment.

The five-year plan will be introduced this afternoon at a World Mental Health Day forum hosted by Auckland University of Technology to foster discussion about better support in the mental health sector.

Waitemata DHB Chief Executive Dr Dale Bramley says the programme demonstrates the Board’s commitment to providing a comprehensive support network to keep people well in the community by providing help as soon as possible.

“This five-year action plan is backed by considerable DHB investment and puts preventative mental healthcare at the heart of Waitemata communities, encouraging people to present early and close to home for treatment and support.”

Professor Max Abbott, Dean of the Faculty of Health and Environmental Sciences at Auckland University of Technology and DHB board member, says the initiative is a significant step forward in improving health outcomes for people in Auckland’s North and West.

The former president of the World Federation for Mental Health, and founding national director of the Mental Health Foundation, is supportive of the systematic, stepped care approach offered by the programme.

“Well-functioning relationships between primary care, non-Government organisations, specialist DHB services and community groups are critical to keeping people well in our communities, lessening the impact of mental illness on families, whanau and wider society,” says Professor Abbott.

Waitemata DHB is pleased to present the programme at Auckland University of Technology today as part of a wider World Mental Health Day event to tackle the stigma, isolation and discrimination that impacts people with mental health conditions and their loved ones.

Event: World Mental Health Day forum

Date: Monday 10 October 2016

Time: 4pm – 6:30pm

Location & panel details: www.aut.ac.nz/study-at-aut/faculty-of-health-and-environmental-sciences/news-and-events/upcoming-events/world-mental-health-day-2016

Our Health in Mind initiatives include:

Increased specialist mental health and addiction support for GPs including phone advice and in-reach services, to ensure best patient care.

Better access to talking therapies and self-management programmes for more people.

Additional support to allow GPs and practice nurses to offer extended consultations to patients.

Improved listing of community resources for easy direction to the most appropriate service.

Enhanced support to encourage earlier presentation of and help for serious and common mental health and addiction disorders, especially among Māori and Pacific communities.

In addition to Our Health in Mind, Waitemata DHB is investing in the following services to enhance the delivery of mental health care in our district:

Additional support for inpatient facilities of $500,000 over current budgets per annum

Recent investment in community beds for high and complex needs of $2.2 million in 2015/2016 year

Continuing investment in Emergency Department mental health support services at Waitakere Hospital of around $360,000 per annum

ENDS

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