Mental Health Hotline Review w/ University of Auckland Professor of Medical & Health Sciences Sarah Hetrick: 23 September 2026
The latest review on youth mental health hotlines has identified a number of issues attributed to an increased demand for services. These include up to 69% of calls being abandoned due to long wait times, and a need for better training for staff dealing with increasingly complex and serious mental health calls. Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey has shared three initiatives to improve hotline services, including an expansion of peer support hours from 2pm and 10pm, to 9am to midnight; proactive follow up calls and a new 24/7 suicide prevention crisis line. University of Auckland Health…
The skinny
The skinny isn't ready yet — notes appear once the transcript is processed.