Taimi Allen: $6 million funding boost praised by mental health service providers

Medical centres nationwide have been given $6 million to provide mental health services.The Government's allocating the hundreds of millions of dollars it set aside in the Budget for mental health initiatives.About $30 million has been set aside for the first round of pitches from providers who want to offer free mental health services from 2020.Jacinda Ardern says the services are for the number of New Zealanders who aren’t getting the help they need."$455 million was put aside so that we could roll out primary mental health care services throughout Aotearoa New Zealand, and we're starting today."Changing Minds CEO Taimi Allen told the Weekend Collective it's an enormous deal."We're actually be able to collaborate together to create new frontline services with a new model of care which means people will get immediate support, they won't be waiting for long referrals."Allen says it will allow far more choice to be offered.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.