Although It is pleasing to see the New Zealand Government improving services for young people with or at risk of mental health problems; is it too little ,too late! After the horrific rape case at Christmas involving a child ; we in New Zealand are realising that we have a serious mental health problem with our youth. And although Prime Minister John Key has unveiled a $62 million package of initiatives to ensure young people with mental health problems receive better, faster, and more modern help; one in five of our young people will experience some form of mental health problem during the crucial time that they are transitioning to becoming an adult.
The Prime Minister's Youth Mental Health package works in four different places:
In schools
Online
In families and communities, and
In the health system.
Mr Key said nurses and specially-trained youth workers will be added to lower-decile schools to help identify students who have a mental illness and get them appropriate care. The Positive Behaviour School Wide programme will also be rolled out across all secondary schools to improve the environment young people are learning in.
Along with an overhaul of existing mental health resources, new ideas will be sought through a Social Media Innovations Fund to keep providers of youth services technologically up to date.
The package also contains several other initiatives including a lift in funding for primary mental health care, new wait-time targets for Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services and a new WhÄnau Ora approach.
Although the scheme is viable ,one has to question if the horse has already left the stable. It is jobs that the youth need. Not sitting around on the dole and getting spaced out every day.
