Te Hiringa Mahara says Aotearoa’s mental health and addiction system is showing signs of progress, but change is not happening fast enough for Māori and rangatahi. Te Hiringa Mahara has released its latest ‘ [https:///www.mhwc.govt.nz/system-performance]report card’ on the state of Aotearoa New Zealand’s mental health system.
The Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission has released its 2026 system performance monitoring report, which tracks progress across six key areas including lived experience, prevention, equitable access, human rights and workforce.
The report finds improvements in some parts of the system, including better primary care access, shorter waits for some services, a growing workforce, improved vacancy rates and more people entering mental health and addiction training.
But the Commission says those gains are not reaching the people who need them most.
The report says the mental health and addiction system is improving, but not for the groups with greatest need. The clearest gains are in workforce growth, improved vacancy rates, better primary access, and shorter waits for some services. However, Te Hiringa Mahara says inequities for Māori, rangatahi, Pacific peoples and disabled people remain urgent.
Key concerns include rising psychological distress, high unmet need for Māori, falling specialist access for young people, static kaupapa Māori investment, and continued use of coercive practices. The report says Māori are more likely to face compulsory treatment orders and seclusion, while young people are still being admitted to adult inpatient units.
The Commission makes three major recommendations: a national plan to eliminate seclusion by June 2027, better outcomes and experience data for people using services, and a renewed action plan to meet the needs of Māori and whānau in specialist services.
Māori continue to face systemic disadvantage across the mental health system. The report points to rising unmet need, declining access to kaupapa Māori primary mental health services, and a falling share of investment in kaupapa Māori specialist services compared with overall mental health spending.
Māori using specialist services are also more likely to experience homelessness and less likely to be in employment, education or training.
The report also raises concern about human rights in mental health care. Māori and Pacific peoples continue to experience seclusion and other coercive practices at higher rates, while more young people have been admitted to adult inpatient units.
Rangatahi are another major concern. The report says nearly a quarter of young people report high or very high psychological distress, while access to specialist services for 19 to 24-year-olds has continued to fall.
Young people are also facing longer waits and high rates of declined referrals, despite increasing levels of distress.
Te Hiringa Mahara says workforce growth is the strongest area of progress. Vacancy rates have improved, diversity is increasing, and 514 people entered mental health and addiction training in 2025. However, shortages remain in key areas, including psychiatrists and child and adolescent services.
The Commission is calling for stronger action by June 2027, including a national plan to eliminate seclusion, better data on people’s outcomes and experiences, and a renewed action plan to meet the needs of Māori and whānau using specialist mental health and addiction services.
The report says the next phase must focus on cross-agency responses to youth mental health, equity for Māori, and better data and technology.
It says the Government’s Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy will need a clear, funded implementation plan if it is to deliver real change for whānau, communities and people relying on mental health and addiction support.
