Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey has identified six regions that will receive new mental health co-response teams: Northland, Lakes, Hawke's Bay, MidCentral, Whanganui and Nelson Marlborough.
The announcement completes the rollout plan for 10 new teams funded in Budget 2025. Four locations were revealed earlier: Auckland, Counties Manukau, Bay of Plenty and Canterbury. The $28 million allocation will triple the number of co-response teams from 5 to 15.
The teams pair mental health clinicians with police officers to respond when someone calls 111 during a mental health crisis. The model is intended to provide a mental health response rather than a criminal justice one when people in mental distress call for help. "It is utterly unacceptable that for too long, when a concerned mum, dad, friend or colleague calls 111 looking for a mental health response, they have received a criminal justice response. This Government is changing that because New Zealanders deserve better," Doocey said.
Health officials selected the six locations using data on emergency department presentations, crisis contacts, engagement with mental health services and suicide statistics. Several of the regions will serve rural communities, which face additional barriers to mental health support including longer travel distances and more limited service availability.
Planning will now commence for the six new sites, with Health and Police developing district-specific approaches. Implementation timeframes will be confirmed as planning progresses.