The Minister for Mental Health announced funding for Wellington City Mission's Whakamaru Crisis Café.
Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey visited the Whakamaru Crisis Café in Wellington and announced that it is the latest recipient of the Government's Mental Health and Addiction Community Sector Innovation Fund. The café will now operate 24 hours, four days a week, providing an alternative welcoming place for people experiencing mental health challenges. This initiative aims to increase early access to support and alleviate demand on emergency departments, police, and specialist secondary mental health teams.
The Whakamaru Crisis Café is a peer-delivered service offering a safe and non-clinical setting for individuals in distress related to mental health or addiction issues. This is the fifth successful recipient from the first round of the Innovation Fund, which supports community-driven solutions addressing mental health and addiction challenges. The Government has also announced plans to roll out six new Crisis Recovery Cafés nationwide over the next two years, further expanding access to alternative models of care.
The funding for the Whakamaru Crisis Café is part of a broader effort by the Government to trial innovative solutions in addressing unmet need and providing support for individuals experiencing mental health challenges.