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Ohu Motuhake

Equitable Access to Wellbeing Framework: Better outcomes for autistic people and people with learning disabilities experiencing mental distress

Published:

July 31, 2024

Kaua e rangiruatia te hāpai o te hoe;

e kore tō tātou waka e ū ki uta

Do not lift the paddle out of unison or our canoe will never reach the shore

This proverb serves to emphasise the importance of all working together to succeed in any joint project. It speaks to the union of the mental health, addiction, and disability workforces in supporting the mental health and addiction needs of autistic people and people with learning disabilities.

People with learning disabilities and/or autistic individuals are much more likely to experience mental distress than the general population. However, this is not reflected in the way related assessments, funding, supports, training, and services are provided in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Inevitably, disabled people experiencing mental health and addiction-related needs have been caught between disability and mental health sectors, often resulting in them falling through the gaps and losing out both ways.

Te Pou, on behalf of Whaikaha – Ministry of Disabled People, is leading the Equitable Access to Wellbeing project which is contributing towards better opportunities and outcomes for disabled people experiencing mental distress.

The overarching aim of this work is to provide resources and initiatives that strengthen the workforce to support people with lived experience and their whānau.

The key resource that has been developed is the Equitable Access to Wellbeing framework.

The Equitable Access to Wellbeing framework is a knowledge and skills framework for mental health, addiction, and disability workforces working in primary, secondary, and tertiary contexts.

The framework was released in October 2022 and is available in several different formats that ensure that it is accessible to all.

With the framework released, Te Pou is now working on the implementation of the framework.

Currently, Te Pou is currently:

  1. Working in partnership with disability support and mental health teams (NGOs and government) on how we can use the framework to better support named individuals in their transition into the community.
  2. Developing and promoting the expertise of specialist intellectual disability (dual disability) services through the establishment of a community of practice.  An initial hui will be held in Auckland for members of regional specialist intellectual disability (dual disability) services on 9 December 2022.

Next steps will be to:

  1. Develop and modify training resources based on the Equitable Access to Wellbeing Framework.
  2. Deliver e-learning and in-person training to the workforces, people with lived experience and their whānau.
  3. Promote leadership in the lived experience community
  4. Develop and deliver learning opportunities for people with lived experience and their whānau e.g., looking after your mental health and when to get help.

Overall, it’s our aspiration to use the framework as a tool to describe, inspire and develop the future workforce, but most of all, we would like this tool to be used as a proven way to ensure people are living good lives.

Download a copy of the Equitable Access to Wellbeing framework here. The framework is available as a PDF for use on a computer, in a Word document and, as an Easy Read.

Image: Te Pou chief executive Rae Lamb stands with Sir Robert Martin and Dr Brigit Mirfin-Veitch, each holding a copy of the Equitable Access to Wellbeing framework.

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