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To: Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern

Accessible Mental Health Care Education in Schools

Dear Jacinda Ardern,

It is vital that we practise quality and accessible Mental Health Care Education in Schools.
We would like to see early intervention education introduced in to the national school curriculum.
We would like to see this implemented by introducing a lot more involvement with outside organisations that partner with the schools. To educate our children from such a young age that they develop an anti-biased approach to mental health and the stigma that, at present, surrounds it.

Why is this important?

"Early intervention in response to difficulties can reduce the risk or severity of certain types of mental disorders later in childhood, adolescence or adulthood and improve children’s developmental, emotional, academic and social outcomes. It could help children to achieve their full potential".{1}

Currently standing, we have such a high rate of mental illness for such a small country and
we would also like to see this integrated in health services across the country, with a primary focus being on educating our current and upcoming GPs.

"Nearly half the population will meet the criteria for a mental illness diagnosis at some stage during their lives, and one in five of us will experience depression in any given year".{2}

We need to recognise the need for this in New Zealand, with the statistics showing an overdue need for such an implementation.

Too many children, teens and adults are living with a battle of the mind everyday and ultimately are having to educate themselves because mental health resources are so far stretched.

The People's Mental Health Review report, canvassed 500 people who have either accessed or worked within mental health services in New Zealand.

"Almost 95 per cent of those surveyed had negative experiences of the sector and shared stories of inappropriately long wait times, an over-reliance on medication and an under-resourced, stressed workforce."

"In a number of stories people expressed concern that they couldn't get the help they needed until their health had deteriorated to the point of crisis."{3}

This is important because we are not only educating the health care providers but families and adults that care for young children.

It allows our children to have a real chance at life with minimal, if any mental illness. It will teach our children to become resilient because they have gained proper education and knowledge in the area of mental health, including coping mechanisms. This in turn provides our children with the knowledge and empathy required to be non-judgemental, unbiased and to not discriminate.

We want to see NZ have the lowest Mental Illness Rates WORLDWIDE.

Please consider how this is going to be implemented in our children's lives so that we are not having to seek treatment for them before it is too late.

This campaign is led by Fighting the Mind, a non profit organisation who focuses on supporting those living with Eating Disorders and all Mental Illness. We are focusing on people building or rebuilding their relationships with whānau/family and the community.

If education surrounding mental health is integrated from a young age, it will enable the individual the ability to speak out, express feelings openly and for the individual not to fear their own validity.
Fighting the Mind would like to focus on the grassroots of this area (a getting back to basics, so to speak), where we create a peer support network of both experience and qualification, so we are able to work alongside one another to implement such a program.

1. https://www.health.govt.nz/publication/social-emotional-and-behavioural-difficulties-new-zealand-children-new-zealand-health-survey
2. https://wellplace.nz/facts-and-information/mental-wellbeing/mental-health-in-new-zealand/
3. https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11841136

New Zealand

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Updates

2018-10-17 20:12:22 +1300

50 signatures reached

2018-10-14 03:15:46 +1300

25 signatures reached

2018-10-11 20:26:41 +1300

10 signatures reached