7 Jun 2019

Govt's $2b for mental health: will it work?

From Nine To Noon, 9:09 am on 7 June 2019
A teenage Māori boy looking unhappy

Photo: RNZ / Cole Eastham-Farrelly

The centrepiece of last week's budget was $1.9 billion to help the one in five New Zealanders who experience mental illness or significant mental distress.  New Zealand has persistently high suicide rates - particularly for young people and Maori, and widespread harm from alcohol and drug addiction.

Kathryn discusses the budget announcements with a panel of experts: former Mental Health commissioner and consumer advocate Mary O'Hagan, Maria Baker, Chief Executive of the Maori health organisation Te Rau Ora,  Dr Dougal Sutherland from Victoria University's Clinical Psychology Training Programme and former deputy Mental Health Commissioner Bice Awan.