Mental Health Bill

In our submission to the Health Committee we make 68 recommendations to amend the Bill.

Overall, the MHF supports the Mental Health Bill, but it does not go as far as we had hoped. We support many of the new provisions, particularly those related to supporting and assisting people potentially subject to the legislation to understand and participate in decisions, express their decisions, have their rights upheld, and have their whānau and loved ones involved in their care.

That said, the MHF is disappointed the Bill is not as transformative as initially envisaged in He Ara Oranga, the 2018 report of the Government Inquiry into Mental Health and Addiction. After over 30 years without review, many saw this repeal and replacement process as a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reimagine our response to people experiencing significant mental distress.