Opening Address to Like Minds Like Mine

Kia ora tātou. Good morning.

Thank you, Judi, for your warm welcome.

It is a pleasure to be here with you today to reflect on something that we all value – social inclusion and the recognition of its importance in addressing stigma and discrimination for those who are affected by mental illness.

First, however, I would like to acknowledge Dr Helen Hamer who is here to present the emerging findings from her work in Like Minds research.

Dr Hamer has investigated positive experiences of social inclusion in New Zealand.
I would also like to recognise Liz Sayce for joining us from the United Kingdom to talk about her international work in social inclusion policy and practice.

It is also appropriate that i recognise the continued work of the Like Minds providers and support networks for their ongoing efforts to reduce stigma and discrimination associated with mental illness.

While it is a somewhat dated figure now, an analysis in February 2010 showed that Like Minds had to that point cost $52 million since its inception.

That might seem like of lot of money but the estimated economic benefits such as increased access to employment, hours worked, and increased use of primary care totalled $720 million or $13.80 for every dollar spent on Like Minds.

That is an impressive direction in economic terms, but I am more even more impressed by what it means in the quality of human lives being lived.

Research has also shown that since the start of the programme, there has been an improvement in public attitudes towards mental illness.

This indicates to me that the Like Minds programme provides real value to those affected by mental illness.

Today, I am delighted to be here among people who have a strong commitment to excellence in mental health and addiction services.

I commend you for your passion in creating inclusive communities that support mental health service users to contribute to the fabric of our communities.

Overview

Improving mental health is a high priority for the Government because it affects so many of our people.

Mental health issues have wide ranging social and economic impacts.

For people with mental illness and their family and whānau, the impacts are very real and personal.

Research tells us one in five New Zealanders has experienced a diagnosable mental health or addiction issue in the past year.

We know that about 140,000 people accessed specialist mental health services in the last financial year – and that is about 3 percent of the total population.

We also know that young people, and Māori and Pacific peoples, experience mental illness more than others.

The Government has responded to this increasing demand by continuing to make significant investments in mental health and addiction services.

In 1993, the investment was $270 million per annum.

In this financial year, the investment is projected to be $1.26 billion.

The increased funding means that more services are being made available and more people are getting the help they need.

Mental Health and Addiction Plan

This morning I want to give you an overview of the new Government mental health action plan that was released last December.

You will know it as Rising to the Challenge, The Mental Health and Addiction Service Development Plan 2012-2017.

This plan quite deliberately raises expectations for mental health service providers.
Its objective is for greater numbers of people to be treated, and to make services more effective so that they can better support people’s recovery.

The four goals underpinning the plan’s vision are:

• To make better use of resources
• To improve integration between primary and secondary services
• To cement and build on gains for people with high needs, and
• To deliver increased access for all age groups.

As Rising to the Challenge is implemented over the next five years, we expect increased numbers of people will access services.

That will mean service changes and reconfigurations to better support people’s recovery.

Over time, we also want to see more New Zealanders have a more informed appreciation of the importance of mental wellbeing and being more aware of emerging mental health and addiction issues in themselves and others.

At last years Like Minds seminar, I spoke about other government priorities such as the Prime Minister’s Youth Mental Health project and its importance in improving the mental health and wellbeing of 12-19 year olds with, or at risk of developing mental health problems.

The Government’s significant investment of $62 million into this project over four years fundamentally recognised that young people will determine the future shape and prosperity of New Zealand and that we, as a society, have to look after them.

I am pleased to note that 22 different initiatives are now being implemented in four settings: in schools, online, in families and communities, and in the health system.

Whānau Ora is also another important Government initiative targeting Māori affected by mental illness.

It is important because of its inclusive approach to providing tailored services.

Rising to the Challenge quite literally challenges all government services to think about how we can work together so that the communities we serve can be guaranteed consistent and seamless services.

It also acknowledges that many other issues impact on mental health and wellbeing, such as income, housing, education and employment, which is why boundaries must be broken down.

The days of silo based approaches are over – people do not live their lives in compartments, and our services, and the way they interact with each other have to recognise that.

Broadly speaking, these two initiatives support the vision of Rising to the Challenge that all New Zealanders will be provided with the tools to weather adversity and realise their potential within their families and communities.

And after all, that is so much of what life is about for all of us.

Central to this vision is that people with mental health and addiction issues need support to make this happen.

This requires services such as Like Minds which actively work to influence the behaviours and practices of key groups and agencies that could otherwise stigmatise or discriminate against people experiencing mental health and addiction issues.

Social Inclusion

Now I would like to turn to the theme of today’s seminar - social inclusion.

The Government’s vision for a socially inclusive society is of “fairness, opportunity and security for all New Zealanders” .

Unfortunately, discrimination and social exclusion continue to have a profound impact on the lives of many people affected by mental illness.

This is why a programme such as Like Minds is still needed.

In 2011, a collaboration of agencies and providers working with the Mental Health Commission published a report called Measuring Social Inclusion: people with experience of mental distress and addiction.

This report provides a picture of people’s experiences of social inclusion and analyses data predominantly drawn from the New Zealand General Social Survey and New Zealand Health Survey.

It looked at 14 indicators of social inclusion over 10 life areas for people with symptoms of mental distress.

The report found that there is a clear relationship between symptoms of mental distress and feelings of isolation.

For most of the indicators investigated, people with symptoms of mental distress were worse off than other New Zealanders.

For example they were less likely to be employed, less likely to have gained a level 2 or higher educational qualification and were more likely to be living in hardship.

In recognition of these issues, Rising to the Challenge includes a commitment to enhancing social inclusion opportunities.

It states that health and social services need to actively challenge stigma and discrimination wherever they are encountered.

Rising to the Challenge also states that the Ministry of Health will enhance social inclusion opportunities through continuing and refreshing of the Like Minds programme, with consideration to incorporating addiction into the programme.

The current Like Minds national plan expires later this year.

The Ministry of Health has contracted Mary O’Hagan, a former mental health commissioner, who has a long association with the Like Minds program, to consult with stakeholders and gather information to provide advice on the future Like Minds Plan.

I strongly encourage all of you to get involved in the development of this plan.
Mary is also available today to talk to anyone who would like to know more about the refresh.

Closing Remarks

In closing, I would like to reiterate that the importance of supporting those affected by mental illness is reflected by the continued increase in resources the Government is dedicating to this area.

We have shifted the focus from institutions to support and treatment in local hospitals, communities and in people’s own homes, where they can continue to receive the support of their family, friends, neighbours and colleagues.

Indeed, each and every one of us is here today because we want to make a valuable contribution towards enabling people affected by mental health illness to participate in their communities on an equal footing with others.

The challenge for all of us is to ask ourselves what we can take away from this seminar that will make a positive difference for those affected by mental illness.

As Associate Minister of Health I am keenly aware of the inter-relationships between all aspects of health and wellbeing.

These are never more evident than in the field of mental health and addiction.

I commend your commitment to ensuring all members of society can exercise their basic rights to equality, to be free from discrimination and to have access to the very best system of mental health care during periods of mental distress.

Thank you.