Health Minister Andrew
Little has every reason to be focused. Asked by Newstalk ZB broadcaster this week whether it was a crisis, Little could only concur. "There are areas where I know young people, in particular, are struggling to get the specialist attention that they need, waiting a long time to get it - that is in crisis."
Little says the Government has been focused on resourcing mild to moderate mental health support and assistance. That, he said, was starting to make a difference.
However, only recently has Government attention turned to acute and specialist care, where the need is greatest. This would seem unfathomable but has been necessary as an attempt to break the next wave of acute cases.
New Zealand is not unique in this. An OECD report found as many as 10 per cent of boys and 14 per cent of girls aged 11 reported "feeling low" more than once a week in the past six months on average across 28 European countries.
The failure to address mental disorders at this onset can have significant consequences throughout life – affecting a child's development, and contributing to poorer educational outcomes, higher rates of unemployment and poorer physical health.
Little says resourcing the mild to moderate issues was about two-thirds of the way through and was "starting to make a difference". These efforts should be supported and continued. But attention must turn with urgency to those most in need.
By the time a mental health crisis presents at an emergency department - 3250 of our young people in 2020-21 - life can be in the balance.
On Monday, our Great Minds series revealed Ministry of Health officials briefed the minister in September last year, noting district health boards were dealing with 51,000 cases of infants, children and adolescents with serious mental health problems.
Last week, the Government announced a $200 million boost for mental health in its 2022 Budget, which included an extra $18.7m for specialist child and adolescent services — amounting to less than $5 million a year spread over four years.
District health boards report they are struggling to find psychiatrists, psychologists, nurses and other skilled workers to staff the frontline. Given the shortage of professionals, the criteria for being referred has been raised to a "high level of severity or distress".
Maintaining the viability of staff and services is necessary but this is an invidious compromise for young people, their whānau and supporters. It is also a burden on the entire country. The OECD estimates the overall cost of mental illness on society at around 3.5 per cent of GDP.
At the rate our mental health issues are increasing, it is clear this nation has been pedalling backwards, even as pressure on our young people has intensified.
Time to turn it around.
