New toolkit provides free, confidential mental health support
The New Zealand government has unveiled a free toolkit aimed at improving mental health in workplaces.
Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey said the new toolkit is part of the government's plan to deliver faster access to support, more frontline workers, and a better crisis response.
The new toolkit, provided for free, is aimed at small and medium-sized businesses where cost is a barrier to accessing Employee Assistance Programmes (EAP).
"The toolkit is free and provides confidential mental health support delivered in a way that best works for both employers and employees," Doocey said in a statement.
The toolkit pulls together information about a range of free mental health services and wellbeing resources in New Zealand. They include:
- 1737, which provides free 24/7 phone and text counselling support
- Access and Choice services offering community-based mental health support
- Digital wellbeing tools, including Groov, the Top Up campaign and self-help wellbeing resources through the Mental Health Foundation.
Mental health in New Zealand
Doocey unveiled the new toolkit as he pointed out that poor mental health in the workplace can lead to lower productivity and high absenteeism rates.
However, improving mental health can boost productivity by around six to 10%, according to the minister.
"There is strong economic evidence for investing in better mental health in the workplace, with returns of around $5 for every $1 invested into initiatives such as Employee Assistance Programmes," he added.
The new toolkit comes as mental health conditions drive nearly a third of income protection insurance claims in New Zealand, according to a recent analysis from MoneyHub.
It found that conditions such as depression, anxiety, burnout, stress-related illnesses, and post-traumatic stress disorder are now among the most common reasons why working New Zealanders are unable to earn an income.
