This is an excerpt of an article by Amelia Wade in The Press, 28 July 2024
The Government’s new $5 million mental health innovation fund has application criteria so narrow, organisations say very few will actually be eligible.
They’re calling for a different fund to be reopened which has previously given millions to innovative mental health and addiction services.
That fund, the Proceeds of Crime Fund, is paid for by criminals who have their cash and assets seized by police and there is $14.6m sitting there unallocated – but there are no plans to crack it open, the Sunday Star-Times can reveal.
With the crime fund closed and the new innovation fund impenetrable, the chair of the National Committee for Addiction Treatment says it’s the equivalent to a funding cut to mental health and addiction services.
“100%, absolutely it’s a cut,” said Deb Fraser.
…
Drug Foundation executive director Sarah Helm was also concerned by both the size and “significant restrictions” of the innovation fund.
Te Whatu Ora (Health NZ) released the eligibility for applicants last week. To be successful they must:
- Increase access to mental health and addiction support.
- Protect public specialist mental health and addiction services by reducing demand.
- Develop capacity in the mental health and addiction workforce.
- Use technology to drive productivity.
- Deliver scalable solutions for unmet need.
- Return positive social return on investment (with evidence).
- Achieve positive outcomes for target population groups that have evidence of poorer mental health outcomes than other groups.
- Be co-funded on a dollar-for-dollar matched funding basis (noting matched funding cannot be used for overheads or administration costs).
Helm said the requirements were particularly difficult for the alcohol and drug sector to achieve because those organisations were usually small not-for-profits which received little private funding.