Engage Aotearoa

Category Archives: Human Rights And Legal Issues

Information and updates on human rights and legislation issues related to mental health.

Te Pou’s E-Bulletin Reports on 3 Year Mental Health Sector Work Plan

February 8, 2013 11:55 pm ⋅

Te Pou’s latest e-bulletin reports on the development of a three year work plan to implement the Ministry of Health’s Mental Health and Addictions Service Development Plan that was released last year.

Click here to read the latest Te Pou E-Bulletin

As reported in the E-Bulletin, the work plan focuses on the following priorities

  • “Co-existing problems – including the child and adolescent mental health service (CAMHS) workforce, building on the past 12 months of mental health and addictions skill development work.
  • Drivers of crime – scoping workforce needs for the implementation of new Government initiatives such as youth mental health, drug courts, aged care, vulnerable children’s drug testing and justice. A training framework for the sector will be developed.
  • Children of parents with mental illness or addiction – scoping workforce needs based on evidence and international resources and identifying required competencies.
  • Suicide prevention – with a specific focus on establishing a continuing education module for GPs and primary nurses.
  • Maori addictions strategy – developing a comprehensive strategy to build a workforce that is responsive to the needs of Maori with addictions issues.
  • Organisational and professional development – with emphasis on delivering better services for Maori and working with services to improve workforce performance. This work will build on Let’s get real, outcomes and KPI information, workforce planning, implementing seclusion reduction initiatives, leadership development programmes and ongoing skill development.
  • Assessing effectiveness – ensuring evidence-based practice remains a high priority for all workers with a strong focus on evaluation of initiatives in seclusion reduction and talking therapies.
  • Regional workforce planning – focused strongly on workforce information, analysis and stocktake of data.
  • Ongoing development of web resources to support workforce development.

Alongside these priority areas, Te Pou will continue to focus on:

  • acute services
  • increasing the use of talking therapies
  • leadership and professional supervision
  • International Initiative for Mental Health Leadership (IIMHL)
  • Pacific mental health and addiction workforce development through Le Va
  • leadership on all the knowledge exchange and information areas.”
Such efforts to assess sector effectiveness and workforce needs are hopefully a first step on the way to increasing systemic capacity to provide effective psycho-social recovery options and remove barriers to their accessibility. Engage Aotearoa has heard reports from service-users in the community to suggest there is currently up to an 8 month wait to see a psychologist at some community mental-health centres and a search for psychologists or psychotherapists in a rural area like Kaitaia often reveals that there are few or none at all in some places. A mental-health service stocktake is very much in need.
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Posted in: Addiction/Substance Abuse, Human Rights and Legal Issues, Politics and Policy ⋅ Tagged: , , , ,

Mental Health Commissioner Seeks Service-User and Whanau Feedback: Survey Online Now

February 1, 2013 1:51 pm ⋅

The Mental Health Commission are running a service-user feedback survey, which can be found at:  http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/3HCNGRQ

This survey is for consumers only, and is totally anonymous.  People who are family members or supporters of people using services are also able to complete the survey.

It will provide feedback to the Commissioner prior to their community meetings which begin in Auckland on the 15th of February.

If you can’t make it to the community meetings, this survey is your chance to make sure your experiences as a person using mental-health and addictions services are heard by our national policy-makers and funding bodies.

Posted in: Addiction/Substance Abuse, Community Participation, Disability Issues, Families/Whanau, Human Rights and Legal Issues, Maori Communities, Men, Parents and Parenting, Pasifika Communities, People with Disabilities, Politics and Policy, Service-User Movement, Social Change, Women, Young People and Youth Issues ⋅ Tagged: , ,

Mangere Community Law Centre Says “This Is Relevant to YOU”

January 25, 2013 2:08 pm ⋅

A message from Mangere Community Law Centre:

The Family Court is under review. This IS relevant to you! The Family Court deals with a range of things that seriously affect our community, including: domestic violence, parenting, adoptions, wills and divorce. The proposed changes are significant and now is the time to speak out if you don’t agree with them – in part or full. Submissions close 13 February 2013 so don’t put it off.      

The 5 major changes that the Mangere Community Law Centre are concerned about are:

  1. Cost of $897 for mandatory dispute resolution will have to be paid for by the parties – this will be compulsory before a matter can go to Court.
  2. NO lawyers allowed unless the matter involves violence, urgency etc.
  3. Lawyer for child will rarely be appointed.
  4. Free Court counselling will be limited.
  5. No interim orders – parties won’t have a chance to trial arrangements to see if they can work.

Submissions can be in any format – even a simple letter. Click the link below to open the template from Mangere Community Law Centre that you can use to get started and get your thoughts heard!

Family Court Review Submission Template from Mangere Community Law Centre

You can also check out these websites for more information: http://childrenneedavoice.com/ and http://www.familylaw.org.nz/

You can read the Bill at: http://www.parliament.nz/en-NZ/PB/Legislation/Bills/5/4/2/00DBHOH_BILL11914_1-Family-Court-Proceedings-Reform-Bill.htm 

 

Posted in: Community Participation, Families/Whanau, Human Rights and Legal Issues, Older People and Aging, Online Resources, Parents and Parenting, People with Disabilities, Politics and Policy, Service-User Movement, Social Change, Young People and Youth Issues ⋅ Tagged: , ,

WINZ Reviewing How They Work with People with Disabilities and Health Conditions

January 25, 2013 12:14 pm ⋅

WINZ is seeking your views on how to assist disabled people and people with health conditions into work.

As part of the Government’s wider review of the welfare system, Work and Income is developing proposals for changing the way it works with disabled clients and clients with a health condition or mental-health condition.

To ensure the new approach is well-grounded we want people to share their views about what it will take to assist these jobseekers into work. Please go to www.msd.govt.nz/healthanddisability to share your views. This survey will be open to 5pm on Thursday 31 January.

The feedback will contribute to the development of proposals to be in place from 15 July 2013, and to a longer term work programme to assist disabled people and people with a health condition who can work, to have the opportunity to achieve that.

WINZ have held two public meetings and six sector workshops in November and December 2012.

There will also be an additional public workshop in Wellington on Thursday 31 January 2013 at St John’s Church hall (cnr Willis and Dixon Streets), 9.30 am to midday.  If you are interested in attending this meeting, please RSVP to msd_events@msd.govt.nz, and also advise any assistance you may need to enable you to participate.

If you have any questions, please contact Anne Hawker on 04 978 4142 or Sacha O’Dea on 04 916 3883. Alternatively you can email Anne.Hawker011@msd.govt.nz or Sacha.ODea001@msd.govt.nz

Posted in: Community Participation, Disability Issues, Human Rights and Legal Issues, Physical Health, Service-User Movement, Social Change ⋅ Tagged: , , , , , , ,

New community action stories on the It’s not OK website

January 23, 2013 3:09 pm ⋅

North Shore Family Violence Prevention Network & Safer Whanau Project have a great new page on their website that tells stories of community action projects from around the country.

You can read about what other networks and groups have done to change attitudes and behaviours towards family violence – everything from whole town campaigns, to working in sports clubs, universities and businesses, through to ideas for small projects/first steps.

An attempt has been made to write about what people did, the changes, challenges and learnings.

Have a look here: http://www.areyouok.org.nz/community_stories.php

 

Posted in: Families/Whanau, Human Rights and Legal Issues, Men, Online Resources, Parents and Parenting, People with Disabilities, Women, Young People and Youth Issues ⋅ Tagged: , , ,

Glenn Inquiry into Domestic Violence and Child Abuse Seeks Community Input

January 23, 2013 2:40 pm ⋅

In July last year Owen Glenn announced that he would fund an independent inquiry to establish why domestic violence and child abuse remains such a major problem in New Zealand and to identify what needs to be done to address this issue.

If you have personal experience of child abuse or domestic violence or work with those who do the Glenn Inquiry team would like to hear from you!

Visit their newly launched website for more information at www.glenninquiry.org.nz

Follow the link below to check out the first newsletter from the Glenn Inquiry https://glenninquiry.org.nz/uploads/files/TheGlennInquiry_Newsletter.pdf

 

 

Posted in: Community Participation, Families/Whanau, Human Rights and Legal Issues, News, Older People and Aging, Parents and Parenting, People with Disabilities, Service-User Movement, Social Change, Young People and Youth Issues ⋅ Tagged: , , , ,

Dispute Resolution Services Online and Nationwide

December 20, 2012 12:01 pm ⋅

Dispute Resolution Services Limited (DRSL) is a specialist dispute resolution Crown Entity company. It provides services and systems to solve disputes between organisations and the people they come into contact with.

DRSL operates throughout New Zealand, and across a range of industry sectors. It is the primary dispute resolution service for settling disputes between consumers and the Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC), and it operates independent dispute resolution schemes for phone and internet providers and for mortgage, finance and insurance companies or advisers and many other types of financial service providers.

DRSL also provides dispute resolution services to other industry sectors, including in employment, health and disability, real estate and environmental areas.

The Telecommunication Dispute Resolution service (TDR) was established as an independent dispute scheme for consumers. The majority of phone and internet providers are members of the scheme, so that TDR covers approximately 98% of the residential and small-to-medium market. The scheme was established in 2007, and has received thousands of calls since it was launched.  (Contact Freephone 0508 98 98 98). A typical complaint is about unexpected phone charges.

DRSL also operates the Financial Dispute Resolution (FDR) scheme. FDR was established as part of the regulations introduced to the financial industry by the Government in 2010, which were designed to encourage consumer confidence in the industry and improve the practices of financial service providers and advisers.

DRSL set up and operates FDR, which is the Government’s scheme for consumers who have a dispute with mortgage, finance and insurance companies or advisers that are FDR Scheme Members.  (Contact Freephone 0508 337 337).  A typical complaint is about unexpected finance charges or actions by a finance company Recent research suggests minority groups are under-represented as complainants.  People who speak languages other than English, or are not confident readers, are less likely to use specialised complaint handling services.

To help overcome this issue DRSL and other specialised complaint handling organisations have developed resources for teaching the language of complaint to these groups. The resources are available free online.  Anyone can download the information from www.complaintline.org.nz or www.fdr.org.nz or www.tdr.org.nz

You can also contact DRSL on:

Auckland: 09 915 8200

Wellington: 04 918 4900

Christchurch: 03 962 9000

Posted in: Human Rights and Legal Issues, Online Resources, Support ⋅ Tagged: , , , , ,

Hikoi Seeks National Big reTHiNK about Mental-Health Services

December 16, 2012 1:18 pm ⋅

Media Release: 11/Dec/2012.


Annie Chapman, a former support worker for a mental-health trust in Porirua, is on a mission to reduce reliance on “medical mental healthcare” which she says can result in dependence and disempowerment, in a bid to promote healthier mental healthcare.

This summer, Chapman will spend five months walking the length of the North Island to advocate “change and choice in mental-health care“.

Annie Chapman’s One Woman Walking: Hikoi for a Big reTHiNK of Mental Healthcare Choices begins in Cape Reinga on December 12th and finishes five months later in Wellington. From December to May Annie will be stopping at towns along the Te Araroa Trail for community meetings to screen short stigma-busting films, discuss what a truly empowering mental-health system would look like and support the Petition for Better Mental-Healthcare Choices, which Annie will present at The Beehive in Wellington in May. Donations to cover costs are gratefully received. Any additional funds raised will be donated to Hearing Voices Network Aotearoa NZ, which provides information and support for people who experience voice hearing.

“I have witnessed life long dependence, drug withdrawal problems and the limited effectiveness of some psychiatric medications,” Ms Chapman says. “Research suggests positive and empowering alternatives exist for better long term outcomes,” she continues.

Chapman advocates a reduced systemic reliance on medications as the first-line treatment for mental-health problems. Ms Chapman wants to see funded access to psycho-social interventions and treatment options for people with mental-health problems to reduce long-term dependence on pharmaceutical interventions and compulsory models of treatment. “We need personal advocacy and psychotherapeutic help promoted and more tailored advice about diet and exercise provided,” says Chapman, “Walking can be one of the most effective anti-depressants there is,” she adds.

Miriam Larsen-Barr, from the Like Minds team at Mind and Body Consultants who coordinate the ongoing Like Minds Big reTHiNK Festival, comments, “We are proud to include One Woman Walking as part of the official Big reTHiNK calendar of events. The message that people with mental-health problems need whole-person approaches to empower their recovery is an important one.”

“It is time our society did some serious analysis. Let’s use our legendary Kiwi kindness and ingenuity to create mental-health services that offer hope of real recovery,” comments Chapman.

Find out when One Woman Walking is visiting a town near you

www.rethink.org.nz/?page_id=1692

> KAITAIA KICK OFF MEETING
>>>Wednesday 20th December
>>>11am to 1pm
>>>at Te Ahu Community Centre

www.facebook.com/events/317503728358665/

For more information contact: Annie Chapman | 0221739954 | anniechapman@actrix.co.nz

One Woman Walking Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Hikoi-for-healthy-choices-in-Mental-Health/150792058391076?ref=ts

One Woman Walking Blog:
http://hikoiforhealthychoices.wordpress.com/

Follow this link to find out more about The Hearing Voices Network Aotearoa NZ  www.hearingvoices.org.nz 

Posted in: Community Participation, Families/Whanau, Human Rights and Legal Issues, News, Older People and Aging, Parents and Parenting, People with Disabilities, Social Change, Young People and Youth Issues ⋅ Tagged: , , , , , ,

Monitoring Reports on Rights of People Living with Disability Released

December 10, 2012 9:02 pm ⋅

Earlier this year you may have provided feedback on the Human Rights Commission’s Wider Journey Discussion Document. The Commission would like to thank everyone for taking their time to share their knowledge, expertise, advice and pointers, all of which were considered in drafting the final reports.

As a result of feedback and further development of this work the Wider Journey document has been split into three separate reports. These reports were launched on the 3rd of December 2012 to help mark International Day of Persons with Disabilities.

The three reports are:

1     Better Design and Buildings for Everyone: Disabled People’s Rights and the Built Environment

2     Better Information for Everyone: Disabled People’s Rights in the Information Age

3     Political Participation for Everyone: Disabled People’s Rights and the Political Process

The full reports and short summaries of each report are available in Word, PDF, Easy Read and NZSL on the Commission’s website here. Braille copies are available on request.

Information in these reports has also informed the Commission’s first annual monitoring report on the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, also launched on the 3rd of December.

Posted in: Disability Issues, Human Rights and Legal Issues, News, Online Resources, People with Disabilities, Politics and Policy, Service-User Movement, Social Change ⋅ Tagged: , , , ,

Report Highlights Bullying Faced By Kiwis Living with Disabilities

December 10, 2012 8:48 pm ⋅

A report, released this week, highlights major issues facing New Zealanders living with disabilities.

Bullying, violence and harassment of disabled students in schools was highlighted in the annual report on the Disability Convention.

… Kea Street Specialist School principal Sherie Collins said some mainstream schools were more accepting or more supportive of children with disabilities.

An accepting culture could help mainstream schools address student bullying problems, she suggested.

Link to The NZ Herald: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10851945

Posted in: Disability Issues, Human Rights and Legal Issues, Parents and Parenting, People with Disabilities, Social Change, Young People and Youth Issues ⋅ Tagged: , , , , ,