Youthline Records 50-Year High In Demand For Its Mental Health Services
Youthline urgently calls on the Government to prioritise youth mental health in the Budget
In March this year alone, Youthline Auckland is reporting a massive 246% spike in access to its youth therapy services, compared to the year prior
The Youthline 24/7 National Helpline is increasingly becoming a crisis response line for young people experiencing significant mental health distress.
The youth mental health organisation Youthline is reporting a 50-year record high in demand for its services. It's an alarming upward trend that shows no signs of abating and is in fact on the rise. The charity is making an urgent appeal to Government to prioritise and invest in youth mental health in the upcoming 2025 Budget.
Shae Ronald, CEO, Youthline, said the UNICEF Innocenti Report Card 19: Fragile Gains – Child Wellbeing at Risk in an Unpredictable World made sobering reading when it was released late last week. UNICEF's latest report highlighted New Zealand as having some of the worst youth mental health outcomes among high-income countries.
'It's just further confirmation of what we are experiencing first-hand on the frontline of the youth mental health crisis. Our own Youthline State of the Generation 2023 reported increased levels of youth mental health distress since COVID 19 and this trend is reflected internationally.
'We strongly urge the Government to focus on young people and invest in helping them get the help they need. That includes prevention, early intervention and crisis support. It requires a collaborative, all community approach, with young people involved in shaping the solutions, at the centre.'
In March this year alone, Youthline Auckland experienced a 246% increase in counselling services being accessed compared to the year prior. In addition, one third of contacts to the national Helpline are now deemed high risk relating to suicide, self-harm or abuse. In the first quarter, Youthline experienced a 20% increase in high-risk contacts with a 24% increase in the number of contacts requiring external intervention, evidence of a further escalation in the severity of contacts being dealt with.
However, Youthline Auckland is budgeted to make a significant loss of over $600,000 in the next year (April 2025 – March 2026).
'The reality is that our services have never been more in demand, and ironically, we're facing a big shortfall in our operational costs to keep delivering our services in the next year. We really appreciate the funding we receive from the Government, our partners and supporters that enables us to be there for young people when they need us most. We urgently need more funding to ensure we can keep being there for young people who are reaching out for help in record numbers,' Ronald concluded.
Liz Hosking-Clement, Clinical Improvement Lead, Youthline, says the 24/7 National Helpline is increasingly becoming a crisis response line.
'We're seeing an unprecedented number of young people reach out for support, our reporting indicates a marked increase in the number of risk-related concerns being disclosed to our services, including risks of harm to self, harm to others, and harm from others,' she said.
In the first quarter of this year, there has been a steep increase in our external referrals for emergency or very high-risk situations, with increasing engagement required with Emergency services, Oranga Tamariki, and mental health crisis teams.
Hosking-Clement said the UNICEF report card around New Zealand's youth mental health was disappointing but unsurprising.
'It just confirms what our front-line clinicians are seeing every day – young people feeling suicidal or self-harming, struggling with bullying, experiencing abuse, and struggling with their mental health. Our health sector has spent a lot of time and resources telling young people to reach out for support when they need it, so we need to make sure Youthline is here to deliver and meet the demand so that we can continue to do the critical mahi when it comes to supporting and keeping our young people and their whānau safe.
'Youthline is advocating for the Government to invest meaningfully in young people as the future of our country. Young people should be able to access support easily, without confusion or delay,' said Hosking-Clement. 'This requires sustained investment in services that young people trust. Services like Youthline that are visible, youth-friendly, and equipped to respond when young people reach out.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scoop
26 minutes ago
- Scoop
New Zealand's Ability To Monitor Geohazards Weakened By Science Job Cuts
Press Release – PSA The National GeoHazard Monitoring Centre, operated by GNS Science, provides round the clock monitoring of potential tsunamis, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and landslides, and was set up after the Kaikoura Earthquake in 2016. The centre providing 24/7 monitoring of geohazards will have to close at times as Government cuts force the centre workforce to be cut to the bone. The National GeoHazard Monitoring Centre, operated by GNS Science, provides round the clock monitoring of potential tsunamis, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and landslides, and was set up after the Kaikoura Earthquake in 2016. Last year GNS Science announced plans to cut a quarter of the 20 strong team of Geohazard Analysts by attrition following funding cuts. Yesterday, with 18 of the team left, it called for voluntary redundancies and indicated that forced redundancies could follow if sufficient voluntary redundancies are not agreed. 'Cutting the team to the bone means there is a high chance the centre will close at times when a team member falls sick or is unavailable for whatever reason – how is this keeping New Zealanders safe?' said Fleur Fitzsimons, National Secretary for the Public Service Association for Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi. Analysts work in teams of four, that is falling to three, but there must be at least two on each monitoring shift raising the risk of the centre closing due to staff absences. 'The Government needs to explain to New Zealanders why it views that this service is not as important as it was two years ago, before its funding cuts. 'Geohazard Analysts play a critical role in reviewing earthquake measurements to determine things like the magnitude and location of earthquakes and provide science advice to our emergency management services. 'The Government's decisions mean that this critical information may not be available to emergency management in times of need when lives are at risk. This is reckless for a country so vulnerable to geohazard risks like earthquakes and eruptions. 'This government does not value the role of science as we have seen with more than 400 jobs cuts throughout the sector, and a restructure announced this year with no new funding. 'The undermining of the National GeoHazard Monitoring Centre is yet another sad example of the Government's short-sighted cuts that we have seen across the public sector with little regard to the impacts on New Zealanders.' Background In September last year GNS Science announced plans to axe 59 roles, 10% of its workforce following Government funding cuts. The cuts shocked the international science community – 85 scientists from seven countries wrote an open letter to the Government stating that the cuts risk 'compromising essential geoscientific expertise and partnerships needed to address geohazards risks, which is critical for a country whose economy and community safety is so vulnerable to earthquakes, volcanoes, and climate change'. Note: The Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi is Aotearoa New Zealand's largest trade union, representing and supporting more than 95,000 workers across central government, state-owned enterprises, local councils, health boards and community groups.
Scoop
an hour ago
- Scoop
New Zealand's Ability To Monitor Geohazards Weakened By Science Job Cuts
Press Release – PSA The National GeoHazard Monitoring Centre, operated by GNS Science, provides round the clock monitoring of potential tsunamis, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and landslides, and was set up after the Kaikoura Earthquake in 2016. The centre providing 24/7 monitoring of geohazards will have to close at times as Government cuts force the centre workforce to be cut to the bone. The National GeoHazard Monitoring Centre, operated by GNS Science, provides round the clock monitoring of potential tsunamis, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and landslides, and was set up after the Kaikoura Earthquake in 2016. Last year GNS Science announced plans to cut a quarter of the 20 strong team of Geohazard Analysts by attrition following funding cuts. Yesterday, with 18 of the team left, it called for voluntary redundancies and indicated that forced redundancies could follow if sufficient voluntary redundancies are not agreed. 'Cutting the team to the bone means there is a high chance the centre will close at times when a team member falls sick or is unavailable for whatever reason – how is this keeping New Zealanders safe?' said Fleur Fitzsimons, National Secretary for the Public Service Association for Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi. Analysts work in teams of four, that is falling to three, but there must be at least two on each monitoring shift raising the risk of the centre closing due to staff absences. 'The Government needs to explain to New Zealanders why it views that this service is not as important as it was two years ago, before its funding cuts. 'Geohazard Analysts play a critical role in reviewing earthquake measurements to determine things like the magnitude and location of earthquakes and provide science advice to our emergency management services. 'The Government's decisions mean that this critical information may not be available to emergency management in times of need when lives are at risk. This is reckless for a country so vulnerable to geohazard risks like earthquakes and eruptions. 'This government does not value the role of science as we have seen with more than 400 jobs cuts throughout the sector, and a restructure announced this year with no new funding. 'The undermining of the National GeoHazard Monitoring Centre is yet another sad example of the Government's short-sighted cuts that we have seen across the public sector with little regard to the impacts on New Zealanders.' Background In September last year GNS Science announced plans to axe 59 roles, 10% of its workforce following Government funding cuts. The cuts shocked the international science community – 85 scientists from seven countries wrote an open letter to the Government stating that the cuts risk 'compromising essential geoscientific expertise and partnerships needed to address geohazards risks, which is critical for a country whose economy and community safety is so vulnerable to earthquakes, volcanoes, and climate change'. The Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi is Aotearoa New Zealand's largest trade union, representing and supporting more than 95,000 workers across central government, state-owned enterprises, local councils, health boards and community groups.
Scoop
7 hours ago
- Scoop
Elective Boost Delivers Over 9,500 Additional Procedures So Far
Minister of Health More than 9,500 additional procedures have now been delivered as part of the Government's elective boost, Health Minister Simeon Brown says. 'This is what putting patients first looks like. We are focused on increasing delivery of elective treatments – across both public and private hospitals – to reduce wait times for Kiwis needing procedures like hip replacements or cataract surgery,' Mr Brown says. Through this initiative, Health New Zealand is partnering with private hospitals to expand surgical capacity across the country. The plan aims to deliver over 10,579 additional elective procedures by the end of June – a target now well within reach, with 9,696 procedures completed by the week ending 11 May. Of those, 8,631 were delivered through outsourcing. Common procedures being delivered include: Hip and knee replacements Cataract surgeries Hernia repairs Tonsillectomies Ear operations Mr Brown says the programme is targeting those who've faced the longest delays, with almost 60 per cent of patients having waited over four months for their surgery. 'Our goal is clear – 95 per cent of patients receiving elective treatment within four months by 2030. This is a key health target, and we're getting on with the job of delivering it. 'We are investing a record $30 billion annually in health, with a strong focus on boosting frontline services, reducing waiting times, and ensuring better outcomes for patients. 'By unlocking capacity across the entire health system, we're delivering faster treatment and shorter wait times – and that's exactly what Kiwis deserve,' Mr Brown says.
