Submission on the Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) (Improving Mental Health Outcomes) Amendment Bill

Young people report the highest level of unmet need for mental health care of any age group in the population. Therefore, the mental health and wellbeing of our country’s mokopuna (children and young people) is a pressing issue in need of attention and action, so that their rights to health can be upheld and promoted.

Mana Mokopuna supports the general intent of this Bill, in terms of making the Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy a legal government mechanism to achieve better mental health outcomes.

Our submission also recommends that the Bill be amended to require every Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy to include a focus on the rights, needs and interests of mokopuna.