{"id":353802,"date":"2025-11-04T00:36:16","date_gmt":"2025-11-04T00:36:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/353802\/"},"modified":"2025-11-04T00:36:16","modified_gmt":"2025-11-04T00:36:16","slug":"mental-health-crisis-wait-times-for-distressed-callers-more-than-double-as-urgent-calls-for-help-rise","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/353802\/","title":{"rendered":"Mental health crisis: Wait times for distressed callers more than double as urgent calls for help rise"},"content":{"rendered":"

Although the number of mental health crisis<\/a> calls has decreased in recent years, those that are urgent are rising, particularly for M\u0101ori and young people. <\/p>\n

\"WaitingWaiting times at emergency departments for people in mental distress have increased. Photo \/ Jason Dorday<\/p>\n

While the number of crises in police settings decreased between 2020 and 2024, each year M\u0101ori were involved in more than half of those incidents. <\/p>\n

The decrease in mental health calls overall is not due to lower demand, but system constraints and the increasing complexity of the distress and needs of those requiring help. <\/p>\n

\u201cWe heard that people are reaching out for crisis support when the distress they are experiencing is compounding due to an increase in the complexity of social needs, and that the health system is not designed, resourced, or equipped to respond appropriately,\u201d the report said. <\/p>\n

Crisis teams had to use a wide range of skills and were often working at the top of their capacity, it said. <\/p>\n

\u201cDue to the increasing complexity of distress and needs of the people they are supporting, they told us they are often only able to respond to \u2018the worst-case scenario\u2019.\u201d <\/p>\n

The report celebrated the use of co-response teams – a mix of police, mental health professionals, paramedics, and other providers that respond to mental health call-outs. <\/p>\n

\"MattMatt Doocey is the country’s first Mental Health Minister. Photo \/ Mark Mitchell<\/p>\n

The scheme was first trialled in 2020 and boosted by Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey earlier this year as part of a shift away from police-led responses to mental health call-outs. <\/p>\n

The Government has set several mental health targets<\/a>, including swifter access to mental health and addiction specialists, shorter mental health stays in emergency departments, and more focus on early intervention and prevention. <\/p>\n

Peer support workers in emergency departments were also a sign of progress, the report said. As of last month, all three major hospitals in Auckland have mental health peer support workers. <\/p>\n

What the report recommends: <\/p>\n

That Health NZ develops a nationally cohesive, networked crisis response system by June 30, 2027 with these key points: <\/b><\/p>\n