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Platform connects, collaborates and promotes a cohesive community mental health and addictions service sector.

Non-government organisations have a critical role in communities that flourish when the experience of many is harnessed. 

The Mental Health (compulsory Assessment and Treatment) Amendment Bill

This amendment bill was pulled from the ballot box in December and despite a few delays is expected to have its first reading in Parliament this week ending 19 March 2010. This is Labour MP Winnie Laban's Member's Bill designed to strengthen the rights of families and whanau of patients who are being dealt with under the Mental Health Act.

CAREERFORCE Governance Review Report

The independent review of Careerforce’s governance structure has been completed and a report submitted to the Board for consideration. Your views are important to the decision making process.  From Wednesday 3 March to Friday 19 March the full report is available on the Careerforce website for you to review and respond to recommendations.  Your feedback will be directly forwarded to an independent analyst, who has been contracted to collate the survey responses. Read the latest mental health and addictions e-chat.

FRONT LINE- the community and mental health addiction sector at work in New Zealand

This latest Platform publication Front line - The community mental health and addiction sector at work in New Zealand describes the role, function, current and potential capability of community organisations that deliver mental health and addictions services  in New Zealand today. We will show that many NGOs are innovators, run successful community enterprises that employ significant numbers of New Zealanders, are flexible, and well-placed to deliver the Government’s objectives while meeting the needs of individuals, families and communities.  

NGOs’ key role in New Zealand’s evolving mental health services

"When a support worker or someone working with an NGO sits and listens to an individual’s life story, including the most unpleasant parts, that can be extraordinarily therapeutic. Unfortunately that does not happen enough in some mainstream medically oriented services"

"People working with NGOs often have more time than doctors and nurses do to talk with people. Support workers have the flexibility to develop the kind of relationships that people really need – and that is often what makes the difference to people’s lives."

Platforms exclusive interview with Dr John Read Associate Professor Psychology Dept University of Auckland

NGO collective action halts Draft National Health Agreement

Platform has successfully lead a challenge against the Draft National Health Agreement which might otherwise have become the standard contract for District Health Boards to use when purchasing services in the community sector. As a result of this action a face to face meeting with DHBNZ to progress the process of the draft NHA is scheduled for late February 2010.  more...

The Government's relationship with the Community sector

In August 09 the cabinet approved a programme of work to help meet the commitment the Government has made to "strong community relations built on trust and empowered communities."  The first step in that process was the National community-government forum held in Wellington on Wednesday 11 November 2009. Read Hon. Tariana Turia's speech to the forum. One of the themes that emerged from Good Intentions - an assessment of the Statement of Government Intentions for an Improved Community-Government Relationships was that the need for the Government have a statement that describes its relationship with the community sector. Read the discussion paper prepared by Pat Hanley, Social Planning & Research Consultant prepared for the Association of Non Government Organisations of Aotearoa.

NGOs reporting to national information collection - PRIMHD 

PRIMHD is the programme for the integration of mental health data and now NGOs will be required to report their information.  A number of organisations are already involved and over the next year we will see this increase. More information about these developments and regional activity, as it impact on NGOs and on the PRIMHD website.

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