The new Suicide Prevention Action Plan - What you need to know

Explainer - New Zealand's suicide rate is "stubbornly high", with more than 600 people dead by suspected suicide in 2023-24.

To tackle the problem the government this week announced a new Suicide Prevention Action Plan. Here's what you need to know.

What's this new plan?

The five-year plan, described as a "whole of government" approach, includes 21 health-led new actions and 13 cross-agency new actions.

"Suicide is preventable and we have a duty as a government, and as a country, to do more to ensure all New Zealanders have the access and support they need to heal and go on to live the life they deserve," Minister for Mental Health Matt Doocey said in introducing the plan Tuesday.

• Read the full plan right here: Suicide Prevention Action Plan 2025-2029

More than 400 people and organisations provided feedback during the public consultation on the draft plan, with what Doocey called a focus on "lived experience".

"We've heard through extensive engagement with communities, families, and people who have been affected by suicide, that they expect the whole-of government approach to suicide prevention and clear actions that can make a tangible difference for communities."

The plan builds on the government's Suicide Prevention Strategy 2019-2029 and the 2019-2024 prevention action plan.

Doocey said this new plan would focus "on delivery with clear milestones, completion dates, and importantly an accountable agency".

The Ministry of Health's suicide prevention office will lead delivery of the plan with the Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission monitoring its delivery. A new overall Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy is also set to be released by the government in October.

So what does the plan include?

The plan specifies four categories of actions:

• Improve access to suicide prevention and postvention supports
• Grow a capable and confident suicide prevention and postvention workforce
• Strengthen the focus on prevention and early intervention
• Improve the effectiveness of suicide prevention and our understanding of suicide

The plan places an emphasis on "postvention" - support for those who have lost someone to suicide or survive a suicide attempt.

Among the new initiatives are plans to open six "crisis hubs" that will provide options for people experiencing distress, Doocey said.

"What do know sadly with suicide is there are a number that are same-day crisis so we do know that if we can get in early and support someone through that 24 hours we can make a real difference."

The plan outlines a series of suicide prevention initiatives, each with specific deadlines over the next five years.

Among the goals listed are:

• By 31 July 2025: Launching a wellbeing campaign that will be initially focused on youth
• By 30 September 2025: Establishing a cross-agency working group to track progress
• By 31 October 2025: Placing peer support workers in eight emergency departments for people with mental health needs; starting a maternal mental health work programme
• By 31 December 2025: Launching a suicide prevention fund targeting youth and rural communities; expanding suicide prevention training; providing new school resources to support students after self-harm or suicide (ongoing through 2027)
• By 30 June 2026: Opening six regional 'crisis recovery cafes' to be evaluated by June 2028; publishing a national competency framework for community organisations, schools, and maraes; establish national consistency for the suicide prevention and postvention coordinator workforce.
• By 30 June 2027 - Work to improve data on veterans' mental health and well-being to support future prevention efforts
• By 31 December 2027 - Strengthen support to students experiencing self-harm or after a suicide and promote appropriate communication in schools
• By 31 December 2028 - Improve suicide bereavement support services
• By 30 June 2029 - Evaluate the Suicide Prevention Strategy 2019-2029 to inform future plans

"I think (the plan) is doing what it can with the limited resources that Minster Doocey has been able to get to take things forward," Mental Health Foundation chief executive Shaun Robinson told Midday Report.

"There are some good things in the plan. The scale of all the changes is relatively small. There's a lot of pilots, there's a lot of limited numbers of new services."

Watch Minister Doocey deliver the plan here:

What will it cost?

About $36 million is being put into it.

It will be supported by an existing Vote Health suicide prevention investment of $20 million per year, plus an additional of more than $16 million per year from 2025/26 to improve access to mental health and suicide prevention supports.

In wider mental health efforts, Budget 2025 invested $28 million over four years to fund the transition from a police-led response to a mental health response to 111 mental distress calls and $50 million in improving the safety, privacy and dignity of mentally distressed people at mental health facilities.

How big an issue is suicide in New Zealand?

The rate of suspected self-inflicted deaths was 11.2 per 100,000 population for 2023-24, Health New Zealand figures show.

"New Zealand continues to face stubbornly high suicide rates," Doocey said in introducing the plan. "Last year, 617 people died by suspected suicide."

In 2023-24 the average rate of suspected suicide decreased by 3.6 percent from the historical average, but it was not considered a statistically significant decrease to the 15-year average.

The figures show some communities were far more affected than others.

Men have approximately 2.5 higher rates of suicide than women, while youth aged 20 to 24 have the highest suspected suicide rate of 19.9 per 100,000, according to Health New Zealand figures.

Māori experience about 1.8 times the suspected suicide rate of non-Maōri.

In the LGBTIQ+ community, 64 percent of young people thought about suicide in the past year while 10 percent had attempted it.

Other communities with higher rates included Pacific youth, rural communities and young people involved with Oranga Tamariki.

Earlier this year a controversial UNICEF report claimed New Zealand's youth suicide rate was three times higher than the international average for high-income countries, but University of Auckland mental health experts have disputed that figure.

Will the action plan focus on specific communities?

Much of the funding is targeted, the Mental Health Foundation's Robinson said.

"Some of the things that are really positive in the plan are additional specific suicide prevention funding targeted to different groups like young people, like rural communities, that I think is a good step," Robinson said.

"We definitely need more services that are specifically addressing the needs of groups that are at risk."

The plan states, "More kaupapa Māori approaches to suicide prevention are also needed as well as ensuring visibility of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and prioritisation of specific Māori-led actions."

Aren't mental health services already under a lot of pressure?

"We know one of the biggest barriers to support is our workforce," Doocey said. "The plan includes initiatives that will grow our workforce, such as by expanding suicide prevention training and strengthening existing resources to better equip workforces, communities and families."

Earlier this year data was released showing that fewer people are getting specialist mental health care despite rising needs.

Data by Te Hiringa Mahara-Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission shows 16,000 fewer people were seen by specialist services in the year to June 2024, compared to a peak in the year ended June 2021. Two-thirds of those people were under age 25.

Police have also begun the staged retreat from responding to mental health call-outs.

Asked about the pressure that puts on mental health services by Nine To Noon, Doocey said the $28 million invested in the Budget will fund the transition.

"The transitioning from a police led 111 mental health crisis response to a mental health-led 111 crisis response is a four- to five-year program."

Robinson said that while the plan shows progress, there is much work to be done on improving mental well-being.

"I think that the whole mental health infrastructure is still struggling significantly. But then, the other things we need to think about is what's happening in our wider community that impacts on people's sense of hope and sense of wellbeing - unemployment, economic problems, increased conflict over things like race, and all of these things do contribute to the issues around suicide.

"In many ways we're taking two steps forward and perhaps one step back in New Zealand. I do think this plan is two steps forward, so on the whole I guess it's good to see some progress."

Where to get help:

• Need to Talk? Free call or text 1737 any time to speak to a trained counsellor, for any reason.
• Lifeline: 0800 543 354 or text HELP to 4357.
• Suicide Crisis Helpline: 0508 828 865 / 0508 TAUTOKO. This is a service for people who may be thinking about suicide, or those who are concerned about family or friends.
• Depression Helpline: 0800 111 757 or text 4202.
• Samaritans: 0800 726 666.
• Youthline: 0800 376 633 or text 234 or email talk@youthline.co.nz.
• What's Up: 0800 WHATSUP / 0800 9428 787. This is free counselling for 5 to 19-year-olds.
• Asian Family Services: 0800 862 342 or text 832. Languages spoken: Mandarin, Cantonese, Korean, Vietnamese, Thai, Japanese, Hindi, Gujarati, Marathi, and English.
• Rural Support Trust Helpline: 0800 787 254.
• Healthline: 0800 611 116.
• Rainbow Youth: (09) 376 4155.
• OUTLine: 0800 688 5463.

If it is an emergency and you feel like you or someone else is at risk, call 111.

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