More students will be able to access free therapy and treatment for mental health from 2021, thanks to a $25million of funding towards mental health services for tertiary students aged 18 to 25.
The funding, announced on 11 July, will target students who are mildly or moderately distressed by funding more primary level support for them, which can range from therapy and treatment to cultural support. From November this year, mental health service providers (like Student Health) will be able to apply for the extra funding. The press release states that “we expect that students will notice an expansion in services and increased choices from 2021”.
Education and Health Minister Chris Hipkins linked the policy to the effects of lockdown on tertiary students. “Many of them have had to relocate and move to online learning, isolating them from their peers and tutors,” he said.
“Lockdown and Covid-19 really increased my general anxiety levels,” said one Otago student. “I never realised how much I need the little interactions you have with people in your day to day life, just saying hi to someone as you pass them on the way to class can lift your mood and I felt really deprived of those things.”
OUSA Student Support have witnessed the increased demand for mental health services due to lockdown. “I think lockdown and Covid-19 brought up issues in and of itself but also exacerbated ongoing issues for students in a diverse range of situations,” said Hahna Briggs, Senior Student Support Advocate. The announcement “is what’s needed right now,” she said.
“We’ve seen an increase in need for financial hardship help and alongside that often comes mental health support as well, because these things aren’t separate issues they’re interrelated,” Hahna said.
“I don't think anyone could have prepared us for how lockdown could just shatter mental health,” the student said. “I hope we don't have to go back into a lockdown because I'm not sure how I could cope this time knowing how it went last time.”
“I truly was not myself during the whole time [of lockdown],” said another student. “I just remember being angry all the fucking time, being miserable for weeks and not being able to get myself out of it. I’m lucky I had a therapist during that time to help me through it but still the lockdown was a testing time.”
The increased funding is the result of three years of collaboration with advocates and student unions, according to Green Party mental health spokesperson, Chlöe Swarbrick. “Today marks huge success, but not the end of the road. We’ll keep working until everybody, everywhere, has the support they need,” she said when the policy was announced.