Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey today visited Wellington City Mission’s Whakamaru Crisis Café where he announced they are the latest recipient of the Government’s Mental Health and Addiction Community Sector Innovation Fund.
“I am thrilled that the Wellington Mission will be receiving funding to deliver on an important initiative that is designed to increase early access to support for people who are experiencing mental health challenges,” Mr Doocey says.
“Todays announcement will allow the Mission to operate the Crisis Café twenty-four hours, four days a week.
“Often sitting in an ED or clinical settings in times of mental distress can be a very challenging place for people, Crisis Cafés provide an alternative welcoming place where people can go when they need support. The service also has the potential to help alleviate demand on EDs, Police, and specialist secondary mental health teams.
The Crisis Café is a peer-delivered service and provides a safe, relaxed, non-clinical setting for people who are in distress related to either mental health and/or addiction issues, and need to talk to someone face-to-face.
“Initiatives such as this Crisis Café are exactly what the Innovation Fund was designed for. This Government is here to support community-driven and delivered solutions that will make a real difference to people facing mental health and addiction challenges.
This is the fifth successful recipient from the first round of the Innovation Fund with Youthline, the Sir John Kirwan Foundation, MATES in Construction and the Mental Health Foundation already announced, with more still to come.
In addition, last year, Mr Doocey announced six new Crisis Recovery Cafés will be rolled out around the country over the next two years.
“I am committed to trialling new and innovative solutions to help address unmet need. Crisis Recovery Cafés are safe, welcoming places where people can go when they need support. It’s an alternative model of care that can prevent people ending up in ED,” Mr Doocey says.
