新西兰新增6个心理健康联合应急响应团队 全国危机干预服务进一步扩展
新西兰心理健康部长今日宣布，将在全国新增6个心理健康联合应急响应团队（Co-response Teams），进一步加强对心理危机人群的应急支持体系。
Matt Doocey表示，政府正在改革紧急服务体系，确保当民众拨打111求助心理健康危机时，能够获得专业的心理健康响应，而不是单纯的执法介入。
他说，过去当家人、朋友或同事因担忧他人心理状态而拨打紧急电话时，往往得到的是执法系统的回应，这是不可接受的，政府正在改变这一情况，以确保民众获得更合适的支持。
在此前已宣布的奥克兰、Counties Manukau、丰盛湾（Bay of Plenty）及坎特伯雷（Canterbury）基础上，本轮新增地区包括：北地（Northland）、Lakes地区、霍克湾（Hawke’s Bay）、中部平原（MidCentral）、旺格努伊（Whanganui）以及尼尔森—马尔伯勒（Nelson Marlborough）。
根据**2025年预算（Budget 2025）**安排，政府已拨款2800万纽元，用于新增10支心理健康联合应急团队，并提升危机热线能力，使全国团队总数从5支增加至15支，实现规模翻倍以上扩展。
Matt Doocey指出，此轮扩展的重要特点之一，是覆盖更多农村地区。他表示，农村居民在获取心理健康服务方面往往面临更大困难，包括距离远、服务资源有限等问题，因此需要更有针对性的支持模式。
他强调，新团队将根据各地区实际情况进行定制化设计，由卫生部门与警方协同合作，以适应不同社区需求。
这些新增地区的选择基于数据分析，包括急诊就诊情况、危机求助记录、专业心理健康服务使用情况以及自杀率统计等指标，确保资源投放到需求最高的地区。
他表示，目标是确保无论居民居住在城市还是乡村，都能及时获得适当的心理健康支持，“地点不应成为获得帮助的障碍”。
Matt Doocey还批评前工党政府在2018年削减相关团队资金，认为这延缓了服务发展，但他表示，目前政府正在加速推进体系建设，并已在现有试点中看到积极效果，包括减少《心理健康法》强制使用、降低急诊及警察介入需求，并提升后续支持服务覆盖。
他表示，政府将继续推进改革，确保更多新西兰人能够在危机时刻获得及时、专业的帮助。
Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey has today announced the remaining six locations for new mental health co-response teams, marking another step in the Government’s rollout of a better crisis response for New Zealanders experiencing mental distress.
“We’re transforming the way emergency services respond to people in mental distress by ensuring more New Zealanders receive a mental health response, rather than a criminal justice response when they call 111,” Mr Doocey says.
“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.
“Already we’ve announced new co-response teams in Auckland, Counties Manukau, Bay of Plenty and Canterbury, with positive results already coming through from the first tranche. Today, I can confirm Northland, Lakes, Hawke’s Bay, MidCentral, Whanganui, and Nelson Marlborough will be the next districts to get the new teams.
“Budget 2025 funded ten new co-response teams, tripling the number available across the country. Before this investment, there were just five teams; when the rollout is complete, there will be fifteen. That’s a significant expansion that will ensure more New Zealanders can access the right support.
“What’s particularly important about this next phase is that many of these locations will serve our rural communities. We know people living in rural New Zealand can face additional barriers to accessing support, whether that’s longer travel distances or more limited access to the range of mental health services available in urban areas.
“These communities know what works best for them. The new Co-Response Teams will be designed to meet the unique needs of the locations. Health and Police will work together to tailor their approach for the district and community.
“These locations were selected based on demand and need, using data including emergency department presentations, crisis contacts, engagement with specialist mental health services and suicide statistics.
“We want this additional resource going where it’s needed most and will make the biggest impact, because at the end of the day, location should never be a barrier. Whether someone lives in a major city or a rural town, they deserve faster access to the right support.
“We are tripling the number of co-response teams, which is a stark contrast to the previous Labour Government, which cut funding in 2018 after National had allocated it for these teams.
“Despite having the Wellington co-response evaluation that found there was a reduction in the use of powers under the Mental Health Act, fewer people needed to go to an emergency department or police station, and the level of wraparound support increased. They were slow to act.
“While I wish that hadn’t happened, and more New Zealanders were already receiving the response they deserve, I’m pleased this Government is taking action to ensure people get the support they need. Already we are seeing them make a big difference.”
Notes to editor:
• Budget 2025 includes $28 million to establish ten new mental health co response teams across New Zealand and increase crisis helpline capacity.
• Implementation planning for the six newly announced locations will now begin. Timeframes for each team will be confirmed as planning progresses.
