The government is funding the promised rollout of its in-school mental health and wellbeing programme, Mana Ake, to five more regions as part of this year's Budget.
Andrew Little Photo: RNZ / Angus Dreaver
Health and Associate Education ministers Andrew Little and Jan Tinetti this morning announced $90m in the Budget would see Mana Ake expanded to Northland, Counties Manukau, Bay of Plenty, Lakes and the West Coast.
The programme has so far operated in Canterbury including Kaikōura after the earthquakes, giving 10,500 schoolchildren access psychologists, counsellors, social and youth workers at school in classroom, group, and individual settings at schools.
It was designed in partnership with iwi, schools, and local social and health services.
Labour promised at the election to expand the mental health support to all schools, saying it would take five years to roll out.
In April last year, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced the five regions selected for the first part of the rollout.
The government said the areas had been chosen based on a mix of demographics and workforce capacity.
Little and Tinetti said the funding would allow it to support a further 195,000 children in the five further regions, and the first were hoped to be up and running by the end of the year, and fully rolled out by the end of 2024.
Little said it gave children the skills and support to deal with issues that include grief, loss, parental separation, and bullying, and provided advice, guidance and workshops for parents, whānau and teachers.
"We know that early intervention is one of the best ways we encourage better mental wellbeing for young New Zealanders and through their lives. Mana Ake empowers children with resilience and support, when and where they need it, to confidently cope with whatever life throws at them," he said.
Youth mental health is also part of the Cooperation Agreement between Labour and the Greens.
Green Party mental health spokesperson Chlöe Swarbrick said feedback from parents and the education sector was that Mana Ake made a real difference in the lives of many young people.
"Everybody should have access to mental health support when they need it. The expansion of Mana Ake is an important and necessary step to ensuring fewer young people not only no longer fall through the gaps, but develop understanding of their own and others' mental health."
