Improving Vaccine Access for People with Lived Experience of Mental Distress and/or Addiction

Changing Minds is proud to be supporting a global call to action to urgently remove barriers and prioritise vaccines for people with lived experience of mental distress and/or addiction.

Along with other leading organisations in Aotearoa, we are supporting the Equally Well Alliance’s Global Call to Action to encourage our communities and leaders to “ask, talk, and support”  tāngata mātau ā-wheako (people with lived experience of mental distress and/or addiction) in accessing and receiving vaccines. A simple way for individuals and organisations to add your voice is by signing the Global Call to Action.

“People with experience of mental distress generally have less access to vaccines - not only those for COVID-19 -  and we are working collaboratively to increase this access and support” says Taimi Allan, Changing Minds’ CEO.

“We are an organisation proudly led and operated entirely by people who have navigated their own mental health and addiction journeys. Research clearly shows that those of us with lived experience of distress and addiction are likely to experience poorer health outcomes, vaccination is a positive action we can take to save lives.”

Changing Minds’ approach to vaccine kōrero

Our values guide how we approach vaccine kōrero:

• Ngākaupono | absolute integrity - We are driven by the pursuit of equitable wellbeing for all of Aotearoa

• Hei tiaki |protect what is sacred – We acknowledge all lived experience as taonga, and a source of mana

• He mana tō korero | words hold great power – When we speak as one and share our stories we support voices of whānau to be heard

• Tino-rangitiratanga | leaders of our own pathway - Whānau mātau ā-wheako are the leaders of their own journey

• Whanaungatanga |connection and identity -  Our unique experiences, relationships and connections allow us to find our place within one united whānau

We acknowledge and respect that for some people, past experiences and interactions with Aotearoa’s health care system may lead to fears, concerns and hesitancy when receiving vaccines.  

Speaking recently to RNZ Checkpoint, our CEO Taimi said: “People with mental health and addiction issues have not always been treated fairly when it comes to medication and coercion in our past… There’s some trepidation and timid responses about whether [the COVID-19 vaccine programme] is another part of coercion or what it actually means for them.”

We want to encourage people to consider vaccines as an empowering action to take control of their physical health, to understand the risks of choosing not to have the vaccine, and the benefits of the vaccine for our wider whānau. 

Vaccination facts

Worldwide, people with lived experience of mental distress and/or addiction are more likely to experience hospitalisations, long term effects and greater mortality risk from COVID-19. Likewise, tāngata mātau ā-wheako are at greater risk of diseases like influenza, pneumonia, and tuberculosis, and less likely to be prioritised for vaccination.

Positive actions to remove vaccine barriers

Changing Minds, Equally Well and other organisations are encouraging individuals to show their support by signing the declaration.

Organisations, leaders and individuals can help remove barriers to vaccines and prioritise equitable access by actively engaging with and including people with lived experiences of mental distress and/or addiction in structural and systemic decision making. Vaccine access and rollouts need to be built with our communities in mind, with the support of trusted leaders and healthcare professionals.

“Throughout our collective COVID-19 journey, we have heard many kōrero and assumptions that poor mental health and misinformation may go hand-in-hand.  While our current climate is placing more strain and pressure on us than we could ever have imagined, most of the people we represent and support want to be vaccinated. Changing Minds and other organisations like us are producing resources with, and for, our communities to help them feel confident about choosing to be vaccinated.

Improving equitable access to vaccinations doesn’t just support people with experience of mental distress – it also helps our wider health system cope with increased demand and pressures” says Taimi.

Dr Helen Lockett, the strategic lead of Equally Well Aotearoa says: “Action must be beyond a paper exercise and include practices that reach out and meet people where they are, ensuring we leave no one without the information and choices they need to live well.”

This declaration and global call to action is led by the Equally Well Alliance. No personal data is provided to Changing Minds.