The Helpline Collaboration Group is a collaborative initiative, coordinated by Anxiety NZ, for telemental health services with a shared purpose and vision.
Our Purpose: Bring our collective strengths together for mutual connection, tautoko, and growth.
Our Vision: The best outcomes for people seeking support through telehealth.
Telemental health services provide highly accessible and valuable support for individuals and whānau across Aotearoa New Zealand.
In 2020, COVID-19 presented new challenges, and others were expected as we prepared for changes to NZ's healthcare system. With our common goals, challenges, and opportunities in mind, we reached out to other helplines and noticed a mutual interest in ongoing connection and collaboration.
The Helpline Collaboration Group was soon created in 2021 and now includes representatives from many diverse telemental health services throughout Aotearoa New Zealand.
The Helpline Collaboration Group facilitates connection and collaboration between services and as a group. This includes monthly meetings to discuss opportunities for mutual support and mahi across a range of topics.
These include:
- shared training and resources
- support and advice
- network and connect
- service provision changes such as referrals between helplines based on caller needs and service capacity
- data collection, evaluation and improvement
- responding to COVID-19, service planning and crisis response
- accessing sustainable funding
- connecting our services with the community
- developing a unified voice for change
- leadership and representation as a group
We encourage organisations offering telemental health support (helpline/text/webchat) to join our group and also welcome contact from individuals/groups/agencies interested in supporting this initiative.
For further details, please email helpline@anxiety.org.nz