Improving community mental health and wellbeing
Call 0800 920 092 for Psychiatric Emergencies.
Community and Public Health provides population health services and information. We are unable to work with individuals regarding their health issues.
Mental illness is common, but can severely impact on people’s lives. Recent research found that:
- Almost half of people in New Zealand will experience of mental distress or illness in their lifetime (47 percent);
- Over half of the rainbow community will have a personal experience of mental distress or illness (57 percent);
- Nearly two-thirds of people living with disabilities will experience of mental distress or illness (65 percent);
- Māori and young adults aged 18 to 24 years also more likely to experience mental distress or illness; and
- Most people know someone who has experienced mental distress (77 percent).
Source: Mental distress prejudice and discrimination in Aotearoa – Key statistics (Mental Health Foundation 2022).
- Find out the latest facts and statistics on mental health in New Zealand (Mental Health Foundation 2022).
- Find out the latest provisional facts and statistics on suicide in New Zealand (Coronial Services of NZ).
- Find out the latest facts and statistics on wellbeing in New Zealand (Statistics NZ).
People with a serious mental illness or addiction experience significantly worse physical health than the general population.
Free online therapy courses released in New Zealand Sign Language
Just a Thought has partnered with Deaf creative agency – Deafradio – to provide free online therapy courses to New Zealand’s Deaf and hard of hearing community. This initiative has been made possible with support from the Ministry of Social Development.
Two courses on the Just a Thought platform are available in New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL). The courses are available online and will teach learners how to manage mental health challenges using proven strategies based on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT):
- Mixed Depression and Anxiety; and
- Staying on Track – a guide to support your wellbeing during times of stress and uncertainty.
The Coalition of Deaf Mental Health Professionals spokesperson Linda Guirey says the key for Deaf mental health access and support is language, and mental health information is generally not accessible in NZSL, so Deaf people often miss out on critical education and support.
Linda says “Deaf people have a distinct culture, and for most Deaf people English is a second language so having to access complex information in English written for mainstream society is not a cultural or linguistic match, and is often inadequate.”
A series of free wellbeing resources have also been translated into NZSL are also available from Just a Thought.
Downloads
- Kia Manawanui Aotearoa: Update on implementation of a mental wellbeing approach (Ministry of Health 2023).
- Mental health and addiction service monitoring report | Te Pūrongo Aroturuki i te Ratonga Hauora Hinengaro me te Waranga (NZ Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission 2023).
- Oranga Hinengaro System and Service Framework (Ministry of Health 2023).
- Value of nature for wellbeing during times of crisis: COVID-19 case study (Ministry for the Environment 2022).
- Kia Manawanui Aotearoa – Long-term pathway to mental wellbeing (Ministry of Health 2021).
- Alcohol and mental wellbeing: An evidence summary (Health Promotion Agency 2021).
- Still Alone Together: How loneliness changed in Aotearoa New Zealand in 2020 and what it means for public policy (Helen Clark Foundation 2021).
- Like Minds, Like Mine: Strategic Learning Report (Health Promotion Agency 2020).
- Mental Distress and Discrimination in Aotearoa New Zealand: Results from 2015-2018 Mental Health Monitor and 2018 Health and Lifestyles Survey (Health Promotion Agency 2020).
- Awareness of places to get help for anxiety and depression: Infographic (Health Promotion Agency 2020).
- 2015 New Zealand Mental Health Monitor: Indicators of Mental Health and Wellbeing of Adults (Health Promotion Agency 2017).
- The Perth Charter for the Promotion of Mental Health and Wellbeing (World Conference on the Promotion of Mental Health and the Prevention of Mental and Behavioural Disorders 2012).
- The Melbourne Charter for Promoting Mental Health and Preventing Mental and Behavioural Disorders (World Conference on the Promotion of Mental Health and the Prevention of Mental and Behavioural Disorders 2008).
Pregnant people and new mothers
- How better support for perinatal mental health could transform the future for communities in Aotearoa New Zealand (Helen Clark Foundation 2022). An accessible version is also available.
- Prevalence of antidepressant use and unmedicated depression in pregnant New Zealand women (Australian and NZ Journal of Psychiatry 2021).
- Mai te whai-ao ki te ao mārama: Coming into the light – Mothers’ experiences of distress and wellbeing during pregnancy and the first year of motherhood (Health Promotion Agency 2020).
Problem gambling
- Effectiveness of face-to-face gambling interventions: Two years later (Auckland University of Technology and Ministry of Health 2022).
- Life Course and Legacy Gambling Harms in New Zealand (Auckland University of Technology and Ministry of Health 2022).
- Strategy to Prevent and Minimise Gambling Harm 2022/23 to 2024/25 (Ministry of Health 2022).
- Capping Problem Gambling in NZ: The effectiveness of local government policy interventions (Ministry of Health 2021).
- National Gambling Study Data Explorer (Ministry of Health).
Impact of COVID-19
- COVID-19 and safety in the home: Summary report (Te Hiringa Mahara | Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission 2023). Also available in Te Reo.
- Impact of COVID-19 on the wellbeing of rural communities in Aotearoa New Zealand: Summary report (Te Hiringa Mahara | Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission 2023). Also available in Te Reo.
- Impact of COVID-19 on the wellbeing of older people in Aotearoa New Zealand: Summary report (Te Hiringa Mahara | Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission 2022). Also available in Te Reo.
- Media reporting of COVID-19 and mental health and wellbeing: Summary report (Te Hiringa Mahara | Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission 2022). Also available in Te Reo.
Documents
Download or order resources from the Community Health Information Centre.
- Anxiety and how to manage it (MHF).
- Postnatal Depression: Support for new parents (MHF).
- Men and Depression (MHF).
- Depression in later life – previously Late Life depression (MHF).
- Stress and how to manage it (MHF).
- Tihei Mauri Ora: Supporting whānau through suicidal distress.
Links
- Depression: There is a way through it.
- Farmstrong.
- Wellbeing Support NZ (Access and Choice).
- All Sorts.
- All Right?
- Small Steps.
- Triple P Parenting.
- Working Well – helping businesses and organisations to obtain optimal mental health for their staff (Mental Health Foundation).
- After a Suicide – offers friends and whānau practical information and guidance (Mental Health Foundation).
- Problem Gambling Foundation.
- Nōku te Ao: Like Minds – was Like Minds Like Mine.
- Te Whāriki o te Ara Oranga – a NZ network for innovators, leaders and influencers in mental health and addiction services.
- Autism New Zealand.
- Inside Out.
- Dementia Canterbury.
- Te Rau Ora.
- The Black Dog Institute (Australia).
- Beyond Blue (Australia).
- Blue Pages (Australia).
- MoodGYM (Australia).
- Reach Out Australia.
- See Me: End mental health discrimination (Scotland).
Contact your local office for further information:
CANTERBURY, MID CANTERBURY AND CHATHAM ISLANDS
Ph: +64 3 364 1777
SOUTH CANTERBURY
Ph: +64 3 687 2600
WEST COAST
Ph: +64 3 768 1160
For additional information, contact:
Psychiatric Emergency Line
0800 920 092
Depression Helpline
0800 111 757
LifeLine
0800 LifeLine
0800 543 354
Samaritans
0800 72 66 66
Suicide Crisis Helpline
0508 828 865
Wellbeing resources for workplaces
Mental wellbeing is one of the most valuable business assets. Workplaces that prioritise mental health have better engagement, reduced absenteeism and higher productivity, while employees have improved wellbeing, greater morale and higher job satisfaction.
Several resources are available to improve or address wellbeing in workplaces:
- Five Ways to Wellbeing at Work Toolkit (Mental Health Foundation NZ).
- Working Well: A workplace guide to mental health (Mental Health Foundation NZ 2016).
- Workplace wellbeing from All Right?
