Ardern announced mental health ministerial inquiry
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11980494
Ardern said mental health was a personal issue for “many, many New Zealanders”.
“Most of us will know a friend or whānau member that has faced a mental health challenge in their lives. Plenty have reached out and received the support required, but too many still have unhappy stories to tell.
“We know that services are stretched. Demand has grown rapidly in recent years. In 2016/17 more than 170,000 people used mental health and addiction services — that’s up by 71 per cent on a decade earlier. We want to hear from service users, the wider community and the mental health sector about their experience and expectations.”
The terms of reference have a particular focus on equity of access to quality services and better outcomes, especially for Māori and other groups with poor outcomes.