Project goals

In the next 12 months, these are the goals this project is aiming to achieve. The project overview provides more information about the background and establishment of this contract.

Leadership
  • Work closely with the Deaf community, the MoH and the mental health and addction (MH&A) sector to fully understand the current situation and gaps for Deaf people accessing mental health and wellbeing supports
  • Find lots of different ways to hear from Deaf people and organisations, e.g., setting up an advisory group, focus groups, informal chats.
COVID-19 and the Lockdown
  • Stay connected to how the Deaf community is doing during and post-lockdown and communicate these issues with government. g, access to healthline, and wellbeing information.   
  • Review plans coming out of government from a ‘Deaf community lens’ e.g, psycho-social plan
  • Fund wellbeing initiatives identified by the Deaf community e.g, supporting the sustainability of the Deaf Positive Facebook page, making MH101 training accessible, supporting Tu Tangata Turi to connect with one another
MH&A promotion and literacy
  • What information is currently accessible to the Deaf community?
  • What can be done immediately to improve access to information and health promotion?
  • Where are the gaps, what needs to be improved and developed for the future?
MH&A Workforce Development
  • What, where and who has expertise working with the Deaf community around wellbeing MH&A?
  • What immediate workforce changes can be made to improve access and choice?
    • E.g.; E-learning for MH&A staff, training for NZSL interpreters working in MH&A.
  • What is the long-term plan for developing a skilled and sustainable workforce?
    • E.g., how to increase numbers of Deaf people working in MH&A workforce, developing the Deaf peer workforce
MH&A Service Development
  • How do Deaf people currently access wellbeing, MH&A support?
  • What immediate changes can be made to improve access and choice?
  • What is the long-term plan? Where are the gaps and what needs to change to get better access and choice?

Other Deaf mental health and addiction work