05-04-2024, 06:19 PM
After a massive backlash, I doubt there was any other choice
https://www.msn.com/en-nz/news/national/...390d&ei=10
"Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey has told a Rural Health Conference he is committed to keeping the Suicide Prevention Office open after he was caught off guard by a ministry proposal to close the office, disestablish a number of roles and subsume the function of the office into a broader team.
The proposed closure of the office was the first topic raised with Doocey during a Q and A session following his speech opening the conference this morning.
Doocey, the country’s first ever Mental Health Minister, was caught unaware by the proposal and maintains that his understanding is that the office is not to be closed.
"Its not my understanding of what the ministry has proposed I was never briefed about that,” he said.
The ministry yesterday released a statement confirming the disestablishment of the Director of the office along with two other roles, while the remaining two would be absorbed into the wider Community Clinical and Mental Health team.
The minister reiterated that the restructure unveiled by the ministry yesterday was at this stage just a proposal.
"That’s what yesterday was. A proposal. And you can see how I responded to that proposal pretty quickly. They are proposals at the moment," he said.
"Let’s be very clear the Suicide Prevention Office will remain open."
His commitment comes as prominent mental health advocate Jazz Thornton issued a direct challenge to the government on AM on Friday morning.
"Christopher Luxon, if you shut down the Suicide Prevention Office, you will be telling people that are struggling with suicidal thoughts all around this country that their lives are worth less than your tax cuts - point blank obvious, that's what you're saying," she said."
https://www.msn.com/en-nz/news/national/...390d&ei=10
"Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey has told a Rural Health Conference he is committed to keeping the Suicide Prevention Office open after he was caught off guard by a ministry proposal to close the office, disestablish a number of roles and subsume the function of the office into a broader team.
The proposed closure of the office was the first topic raised with Doocey during a Q and A session following his speech opening the conference this morning.
Doocey, the country’s first ever Mental Health Minister, was caught unaware by the proposal and maintains that his understanding is that the office is not to be closed.
"Its not my understanding of what the ministry has proposed I was never briefed about that,” he said.
The ministry yesterday released a statement confirming the disestablishment of the Director of the office along with two other roles, while the remaining two would be absorbed into the wider Community Clinical and Mental Health team.
The minister reiterated that the restructure unveiled by the ministry yesterday was at this stage just a proposal.
"That’s what yesterday was. A proposal. And you can see how I responded to that proposal pretty quickly. They are proposals at the moment," he said.
"Let’s be very clear the Suicide Prevention Office will remain open."
His commitment comes as prominent mental health advocate Jazz Thornton issued a direct challenge to the government on AM on Friday morning.
"Christopher Luxon, if you shut down the Suicide Prevention Office, you will be telling people that are struggling with suicidal thoughts all around this country that their lives are worth less than your tax cuts - point blank obvious, that's what you're saying," she said."
in order to be old & wise, you must first be young & stupid. (I'm still working on that.)
