NZ Launches 5-Year Suicide Prevention Plan with $36M Annual Investment

In a pivotal step toward addressing New Zealand's enduring mental health crisis, Minister for Mental Health Matt Doocey has officially launched the Government’s new Suicide Prevention Action Plan, a bold and comprehensive five-year strategy aimed at reversing the country’s high suicide rates. This cross-agency plan outlines clear targets, milestones, and assigned responsibilities across government bodies, with a sharp focus on delivery, inclusivity, and real-world impact.

The plan is the most coordinated and resource-backed suicide prevention initiative the country has seen, integrating 34 new action items—21 led by the health sector and 13 involving interagency collaboration. It reflects the government’s deepening commitment to addressing both the symptoms and root causes of suicide across diverse communities.

New Zealand’s Suicide Challenge: Context and Urgency

Suicide remains a tragic and persistent issue in New Zealand, with 617 suspected suicides recorded in the past year alone. Each of these represents not just an individual tragedy but a ripple effect of grief and trauma across families, workplaces, and communities.

“Behind that number are grieving families, friends, colleagues, and communities,” said Minister Doocey. “We have a duty as a Government—and as a country—to ensure that every New Zealander has access to support, healing, and hope.”

What Makes This Plan Different

Unlike previous suicide prevention strategies, the 2024–2029 Plan is implementation-focused, built around a framework that emphasizes:

• Defined milestones and timelines

• Clear accountability through designated lead agencies

• Grounding in lived experience, with input from over 400 individuals and organizations, including survivors, families, and frontline workers.

This structured approach is designed to avoid the stagnation seen in earlier efforts and to ensure measurable progress.

Key Initiatives in the Action Plan

1. Suicide Prevention Community Fund (By End of 2025)

A newly established Suicide Prevention Community Fund will offer targeted funding for initiatives in communities experiencing disproportionately high rates of suicide—such as Māori, Pasifika, youth, and rural populations.

2. Crisis Recovery Cafés (By June 2026)

Six new crisis recovery cafés will be rolled out nationally, offering people in distress safe, non-clinical spaces to seek help. These will serve as community-based alternatives to emergency departments.

3. Peer Support in Emergency Departments (By December 2025)

Eight emergency departments will embed peer support workers—people with lived experience of mental health or addiction challenges—providing compassionate, informed support to those in crisis.

4. Workforce Development

Recognizing that one of the major bottlenecks in suicide prevention is the availability of trained professionals, the Plan includes:

• Expanded suicide prevention training for frontline staff

• Strengthening of community mental health support roles

• Investment in tools and resources to empower families, schools, and workplaces

Budget and Investment

The Plan will be backed by an annual investment of $36 million, comprising:

• $20 million of ongoing suicide prevention funding

• $16 million in new funding to support initiatives laid out in the Plan

This financial commitment is expected to scale existing programs and rapidly develop new services where they are needed most.

Focus on Lived Experience and Cultural Responsiveness

One of the most lauded aspects of the Action Plan is its deep consultation with those affected by suicide, including:

• Survivors of suicide attempts

• Whānau and families who have lost loved ones

• Māori and Pasifika mental health advocates

• Youth and LGBTQ+ voices

• NGOs and community service providers

These insights have shaped the policy direction, ensuring the Plan is both inclusive and targeted.

“I am particularly proud that this Plan is grounded in lived experience,” said Doocey. “Their insights helped ensure we are targeting the right areas and not making assumptions from the top down.”

A National Duty to Prevent Suicide

The Government's position is clear: suicide is preventable, and comprehensive intervention is essential. By focusing on early support, community-based care, and culturally sensitive approaches, the Plan hopes to reduce suicide rates and reshape how New Zealand addresses mental distress.

The strategy also affirms that help must be accessible before a crisis occurs, and that individuals in distress deserve immediate, informed, and compassionate care without needing to resort to hospital emergency rooms.

Looking Ahead: Accountability and Hope

Over the coming months, the Government will begin implementing key components of the Plan while tracking progress through public reporting and evaluation frameworks. By setting a foundation for sustainable change, New Zealand hopes to demonstrate that suicide prevention is not only possible but achievable.

“There is hope and a way forward,” said Minister Doocey. “We must do more—and we will.”