Health Minister Andrew Little says the funding will make a difference.
Photo: RNZ / Dan Cook
Little today announced $4.6 million to extend services through Northland, Auckland and Waitemata District Health Boards.
The new money will help provide support for 240,000 people. Youth are at the greatest risk of developing mental health issues because of the rapid changes that occur between the ages of 12 to 24, Little said. We need to work on preventing mental health and addiction issues from developing, and intervening early when challenges start to arise.
The funds will go to Emerge Aotearoa in Auckland and Waitematā to expand its EaseUp mobile service and in Northland, Te Kaupapa Mahitahi Hauora Papa o Te Raki Trust will expand its He Kakano Ahau service.
Press Release – New Zealand Government
Nearly quarter of a million more young New Zealanders will have access to mental health and addiction support in their communities as the Governments youth mental health programme gathers pace.
Hon Andrew Little
Minister of Health
Nearly quarter of a million more young New Zealanders will have access to mental health and addiction support in their communities as the Government’s youth mental health programme gathers pace.
New contracts to expand youth-specific services across the Northland, Waitematā and Auckland District Health Board areas have been confirmed, providing services for 240,000 young people.
“Youth are at the greatest risk of developing mental health issues because of the rapid changes that occur between the ages of 12 to 24,” Health Minister Andrew Little said during a visit to one of the services in Whangārei today.
Press Release – Hastings District Council Hastings District Councils ground-breaking collaborative approach to addressing the districts critical housing shortage has been recognised with a national award. Last night, the council received the BERL Award for Collaborative Government Action …
Hastings District Council’s ground-breaking collaborative approach to addressing the district’s critical housing shortage has been recognised with a national award.
Last night, the council received the BERL Award for Collaborative Government Action for its Place Based Housing Solution at the Taituarā – Local Government Professionals Aotearoa Awards.
The award recognised the outstanding results that had been achieved through the combined efforts of government agencies, mana whenua, community support groups working on the coalface to address housing needs in the community, and council.
Kāinga Ora is the Government’s primary housing and urban development delivery arm. A Ministry of Housing and Urban Development spokesperson said there were plans to build a further 65 homes by 2024 under the Public Housing Plan 2021-2024. The plan does not identify Southland as a high-need location. The spokesperson said nine homes had been built in Southland and Otago since the 2018 Public Housing Plan was published. In March 2020, a spokesperson said the ministry intended to build 105 spaces in Southland and Otago by 2022, with 40 planned for Invercargill. Its December 2020 quarterly public housing report shows the number of applicants on the public housing register in Southland and Otago grew by 27 in the past year to reach 532.
With around 600,000 households renting and around 41 per cent of children living in rented homes, the reforms came at a time when Kiwis were renting more than ever, she said. “That’s why a key focus of the reforms has been to improve security of tenure and enable tenants to put down roots in their communities and make their houses their homes.”
ROSA WOODS/Stuff
Tenant advocates, like Renters United, have long campaigned for caps on rents. The reforms mean it will now no longer be possible for landlords to issue 90-day “no cause” termination notices and fixed term tenancies will automatically rollover to periodic tenancies on expiry unless otherwise agreed.