Youth Mental Health Package Unveiled by Prime Minster: Last week the Prime Minister unveiled a $62 million package of initiatives focusing on youth mental health. The package details how Government will improve services for young people with, or at risk of, mild to moderate mental health problems. The initiatives will be of interest to many people and organisations working in the community sector who deal with the consequences of unmet mental health needs, which can involve families, schools and communities as well as the young people themselves. The initiatives will include a focus on making primary health care more youth friendly with interim support for Youth One Stop Shops. The finer details are still in development and the Ministries are consulting with key people in the sector. The initiative also increases the number of youth workers in low decile schools.
Youth workers will be placed in schools in South Auckland, Porirua and Flaxmere that don’t already have Multi Agency Support Services in Secondary Schools. Youth workers will be employed by Child, Youth and Family preferred providers who will be required to go through a tendering and contracting process. There will be 9 new youth workers in 2012/13 and 10 more in 2013/14. Youth workers will be required to have a level 6 qualification.
Full fact sheet information is available here:
http://www.beehive.govt.nz/sites/all/files/Youth_Mental_Health_project-School_Based_Initiatives.pdf
http://www.beehive.govt.nz/sites/all/files/Youth_Mental_Health_project-Health_Sector.pdf
http://www.beehive.govt.nz/sites/all/files/Youth_Mental_Health_project-Family_and_Community.pdf
http://www.beehive.govt.nz/sites/all/files/Youth_Mental_Health_project-Online_initiatives.pdf
Whanau Ora: A Strengths Based Approach to Youth Mental Health: The Minister for Whānau Ora, Tariana Turia, has welcomed the recognition that Whānau Ora is intimately linked to the drive to improve youth mental health. “Whānau Ora, at its heart, is about whānau, aiga or families coming together to support each other through building shared aspirations, and working together to achieve those aspirations,” said Mrs Turia. Read the media release http://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/wh%C4%81nau-ora-strengths-based-approach-youth-mental-health
Youth Smoking Hits Record Low: ASH Smoking Survey shows a record drop in youth smoking – especially among Maori girls. The overall rate of youth smoking has dropped one-and-a-half percent to 4.1% (from 5.5% in 2010), the largest drop in almost a decade. Read the full report here: http://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/youth-smoking-hits-record-low
Public Sector Targets: The Government has announced a set of 10 new targets for the public sector over the next three to five years. These have implications for children, young people, and people working with them. For more information see http://beehive.govt.nz/sites/all/files/The_Prime_Minister%27s_results_for_New_Zealanders.pdf
Health of Maori Children and Young People with Chronic Conditions and Disabilities: The report provides an overview of secondary health service utilisation patterns for Māori children and young people with chronic conditions and disabilities. To read the report see http://www.health.govt.nz/publication/health-maori-children-and-young-people-chronic-conditions-and-disabilities
Families Commission – Teen Pregnancy – New Report: A recent report on teen pregnancy in New Zealand makes recommendations aimed at providing more support, choice and opportunity for young parents. To download and view the report go http://www.familiescommission.org.nz/research/parenting/teenage-pregnancy-and-parenting
Payment Rate Increases: From 1 April 2012 there will be a 1.77% increase to: rates and thresholds for main benefits, Student Allowances, Student Loan Living Costs and the Foster Care Allowance, rates and thresholds for some supplementary assistance, thresholds for the Community Services Card. A 2.65% increase will apply to rates of New Zealand Superannuation. Read more here http://www.msd.govt.nz/about-msd-and-our-work/newsroom/media-releases/2012/payment-changes-for-april-2012.html
