Mental Health Bill 2024

Lived Experience Community Insights on the Mental Health Bill 2024.

Thank you for the opportunity to provide submission on the Mental Health Bill 2024. Changing Minds is a not for profit, proudly led by and for Tāngata Mātau ā-wheako, people with Lived Experience of mental distress, addiction or substance use. It is critical to the success of mental health care in Aotearoa that Lived Experience shapes and guides the design, implementation and monitoring of services.

We have heard a profound sense of disappointment from our community that this Bill has missed an opportunity for positive transformation and to create meaningful change for Tāngata Mātau ā-wheako. In our view this Bill does not deliver on the intent of He Ara Oranga and the wishes of the Lived Experience community for a transformative, person-centred, and human rights led future for Mental Health in Aotearoa. It is frustrating that we see hope for transformation within the principles, explanatory note, and related guidance on the Bill, but that this has not translated into the drafting of the Bill itself.

The Lived Experience community has waited more than 30 years for transformative and person-centred mental health law in Aotearoa. we urge the Select Committee to consider how we can take this opportunity to deliver this. It is critical that Lived Experience Leadership continues to be central in the design, implementation and monitoring of healthcare affecting Tāngata Mātau ā-wheako (people with Lived Experience of mental distress, addiction or substance use).

Changing Minds would welcome the opportunity to speak to the Select Committee on our community submission. We have heard from many people within the community who would like to speak to their individual submissions in person, but do not have the means to travel to Wellington to do so; or who have reservations about making public/online appearances. Given the important, and often personal nature of this Bill we would also ask the Committee to consider holding sessions on this Bill in the regions other than Wellington.

Changing Minds acknowledges everyone who gave their insights and expertise to this submission, and to consultations and reforms before this, and to everyone from the Lived Experience community for dedicating your time and energy to making a submission on the Mental Health Bill 2024.

Any questions can be directed to Megan Elizabeth, Engagement and Insights Manager in the first instance megan@changingminds.org.nz