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Released 2019 health.govt.nz

Supporting People Affected by the Christchurch Mosque Attacks

National response and recovery plan to 15 March 2020

2019

Citation: Ministry of Health. 2019. Supporting People Affected by the Christchurch Mosque Attacks: National response and recovery plan to 15 March 2020. Wellington: Ministry of Health.

Published in July 2019 by the Ministry of Health PO Box 5013, Wellington 6140, New Zealand

ISBN 978-1-98-856899-7 (online) HP 7172

This document is available at health.govt.nz

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. In essence, you are free to: share ie, copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format; adapt ie, remix, transform and build upon the material. You must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the licence and indicate if changes were made.

SUPPORTING PEOPLE AFFECTED BY THE CHRISTCHURCH MOSQUE ATTACKS: NATIONAL RESPONSE AND RECOVERY PLAN TO 15 MARCH 2020 iii

Contents Introduction 1

Purpose 2

Support and recovery key messages 3

Key lessons from overseas experience and research 5

Key principles guiding this plan 6

Affected populations and communities 7

Roles and responsibilities 9

Goals and outcomes – 3–12 months post-event 10

Expected Outcome #1: Enable normal grieving and recovery 11

Expected Outcome #2: Support and treat mental distress 12

Expected Outcome #3: Promote wellbeing, coping, and recovery 14

Expected Outcome #4: Enhance community cohesion 15

Actions in Christchurch 16

Specific actions and interventions at the local level 16

Actions and planning at the national level 18

National Telehealth Service 1737 (run by Homecare Medical) 18

National coordination of wellbeing promotion resources 19

Next steps and communication 21

Appendix 1: Immediate and short-term actions by agencies 22

List of Tables Table 1: Roles and responsibilities 9

List of Figures Figure 1: Diagram showing the general phases of disasters and how they can

impact on survivors psychologically and socially 4

Figure 2: Tiered model of psychosocial interventions 4

iv SUPPORTING PEOPLE AFFECTED BY THE CHRISTCHURCH MOSQUE ATTACKS: NATIONAL RESPONSE AND RECOVERY PLAN TO 15 MARCH 2020

Figure 3: The different people and communities affected by the Christchurch mosque attacks 8

SUPPORTING PEOPLE AFFECTED BY THE CHRISTCHURCH MOSQUE ATTACKS: NATIONAL RESPONSE AND RECOVERY PLAN TO 15 MARCH 2020 1

Introduction On Friday 15 March 2019, a gunman entered two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand. He shot 91 people, killing 51 and wounding 40. A number of other people were physically injured, and a large group of New Zealanders watched the video of the attack, which was livestreamed and shared widely on Facebook. The Ministry of Health (the Ministry) recognises responding to and recovering from these shocking and horrific attacks will take time and will require effort and resources from many parts of society.

2 SUPPORTING PEOPLE AFFECTED BY THE CHRISTCHURCH MOSQUE ATTACKS: NATIONAL RESPONSE AND RECOVERY PLAN TO 15 MARCH 2020

Purpose This document sets out the national approach and actions the Ministry will undertake, as well as how other agencies are involved, and includes information from:

• The Ministry of Health, which is responsible for coordinating the provision of psychosocial1 support and provides the required health and disability services by funding, planning and providing services

• Canterbury District Health Board (CDHB), which is responsible for coordinating the provision of psychosocial support services at the local level, and advising non-governmental organisations and primary health organisations on the type and nature of services needed for ongoing psychosocial support.

This national plan complements the local CDHB Wellbeing and Mental Health Recovery Plan, which can be found on CDHB’s website. The Ministry continues to work with CDHB to monitor the demand for services and ensure people are able to access the support they need. The National Health Emergency Plan (Ministry of Health 2015) specifies the general roles and responsibilities of the health and disability sector (including all providers of psychosocial support services) across all components of emergency management. The Ministry has produced the Framework for Psychosocial Support in Emergencies 2016 (the Framework)2 to guide the planning and delivery of the psychosocial response and recovery from emergencies.

1 ‘Psychosocial support’ is a term used in the Framework for Psychosocial Support in Emergencies. The

Framework notes the term ‘psychosocial’ reflects the interrelationship between individual psychological and social factors.

2 Ministry of Health. 2016. Framework for Psychosocial Support in Emergencies. Wellington: Ministry of Health. https://www.health.govt.nz/publication/framework-psychosocial-support-emergencies


Support and recovery key messages The Christchurch mosque attacks of 15 March 2019 have been very distressing for those directly impacted. Victims, witnesses and their families and whānau are more likely to have an ongoing need for support into the future. Most people affected by the attacks in Christchurch will experience some level of distress, and all those affected are likely to benefit from some form of support. Following an emergency, distress is more prevalent than mental health disorders, and is usually short-lived. The primary objectives of psychosocial recovery are to minimise the physical, psychological and social consequences of an emergency and to enhance the emotional, social and physical wellbeing of individuals, families, whānau and communities. The Framework for Psychosocial Support in Emergencies explains that support aims to improve wellbeing, which refers to three core domains:

1. supporting and promoting human capacity (strengths and values)

2. improving social ecology (connections and support, through relationships, social networks and existing support systems of people in their communities); and

3. understanding the influence of culture and value systems and their importance alongside individual and social expectations.

Distress and grief are normal reactions and the majority of people will recover with time. Others may need a bit more support and some may be at risk of developing more severe and long-lasting symptoms. The impacts may be immediate or delayed. All could benefit from a community-wide response based on the Framework for Psychosocial Support in Emergencies in terms of faster recovery and improved wellbeing. Some are likely to benefit from a more formal or professional intervention. Figure 1 shows the phases of disasters and Figure 2 shows the range of interventions and responses required to meet the needs of those affected.


Figure 1: Diagram showing the general phases of disasters and how they can impact on survivors psychologically and socially

Source: https://www.samhsa.gov/dtac/recovering-disasters/phases-disaster

Figure 2: Tiered model of psychosocial interventions

Source: Adapted from IASC (2007).


Key lessons from overseas experience and research • Early and proactive outreach is needed to identify and engage those directly

impacted by the event.

• Addressing barriers in access to care: The effectiveness of usual referral pathways may be limited, and a flexible referral approach is needed.

• Targeting at-risk groups is a key task. This can be achieved through screening to identify need and target interventions.3

• Research indicates that brief, trauma-focused Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) during the first few weeks after a shocking event leads to a reduction in Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) symptoms.4

• Available evidence suggests that the expression of symptoms associated with stress reactions (including PTSD) is similar in victims across cultures.4

• Culturally specific elements of a psychosocial response should include providing information in the minority group’s first language, and involving key figures from the affected community.4

• Social support and bonding are important to reduce the negative psychobiological outcomes after trauma. It is also important to recognise the value of existing and emerging support networks and the relevance of community- and family-based supports.3

• Research needs to be integrated into disaster response planning.

3 Reifels L, Pietrantoni L, Prati G, et al. 2013. Lessons learned about psychosocial responses to disaster and

mass trauma: an international perspective. European Journal of Psychotraumatology 4: 10.3402/ejpt.v4i0.22897. doi:10.3402/ejpt.v4i0.22897.

4 Te Brake H, Dückers M. 2013. Early psychosocial interventions after disasters, terrorism and other shocking events: is there a gap between norms and practice in Europe? European Journal of Psychotraumatology 4: 10.3402/ejpt.v4i0.19093. doi:10.3402/ejpt.v4i0.19093.


Key principles guiding this plan • Promote human rights and equity. • Promote a sense of safety, self and community efficacy, empowerment,

connectedness, calm and hope. • Trauma-informed care principles will inform interventions. • Culturally and linguistically appropriate support will be provided. • Support will be on the basis of people’s identified need5.

5 A full set of guiding principles is set out in the Framework for Psychosocial Support in Emergencies.


Affected populations and communities Those directly impacted by the attacks include the victims and their families and whānau. It is anticipated that this group of people may experience the biggest impact on their wellbeing, and are more likely to have ongoing needs into the future. Emergency response workers (including those in the Emergency Departments) and those who witnessed the attacks are likely to benefit from support. There is also a large group of New Zealanders who watched the livestream video of the attack, and could be considered in some sense to be ‘witnesses’. The impact of watching the video is hard to quantify, however, we have received feedback that people are experiencing distress as a result of this. The wider Muslim communities in Christchurch and New Zealand are also likely to benefit from support following the attacks. Along with grief and loss, we are aware of concerns about safety following the attacks. Refugees and migrants make up part of several groups affected by the attacks. Refugees and migrants often have special and unique requirements in terms of therapeutic interventions to support their mental health and wellbeing.6 The wider population of Christchurch are also experiencing a level of distress following the attacks, which have occurred in the context of a community that is recovering from the Canterbury earthquakes. There have been reports of people in Christchurch feeling re-traumatised by the attacks. Distress related to the attacks is not limited to those living in Christchurch. Many people throughout New Zealand were profoundly shocked and saddened by this horrific act of violence. No matter how long the post-emergency period continues, coordinating timely and appropriate interventions to support people and communities affected must be based on an accurate assessment of need.7

6 See refugee health publications on the Ministry of Health website, at

https://www.health.govt.nz/our-work/populations/refugee-health/refugee-health-publications, and eCALD resources at www.ecald.com, such as https://www.ecald.com/assets/Resources/Working-with-Refugees-Asylum-Seekers-Migrants.pdf

7 For further information on identifying psychosocial support needs see the Framework for Psychosocial Support in Emergencies p. 34.

https://www.health.govt.nz/our-work/populations/refugee-health/refugee-health-publications

http://www.ecald.com/

https://www.ecald.com/assets/Resources/Working-with-Refugees-Asylum-Seekers-Migrants.pdf


Figure 3: The different people and communities affected by the Christchurch mosque attacks

New Zealand population

Population of Ōtautahi/Christchurch

Witnesses & People who saw online video

Wider Muslim community

In New Zealand

Muslim community in

Ōtautahi/Christchurch

Front line health

workers, first responders &

ED staff

Victims & their families

Refugees & migrants


Roles and responsibilities The Ministry and CDHB have distinct roles in planning and implementing a support and recovery plan, as noted above. The Ministry will work closely with CDHB to ensure that efforts are coordinated, cohesive and appropriately resourced, and to avoid duplication. Table 1 sets out the areas of responsibility for both agencies in relation to the groups and communities identified above.

Table 1: Roles and responsibilities

Target population Lead agency

Victims and their families (including refugees and migrants) CDHB

Frontline health workers including first responders and emergency department workers

CDHB

Muslim communities in Canterbury (including refugees and migrants) CDHB

Witnesses of the attack CDHB

Christchurch population CDHB

School and early learning communities (including school leaders, teachers, young people, children, families/whānau)

CDHB, Ministry of Education

Wider Muslim community in New Zealand (including refugees and migrants)

Ministry of Health

People who experienced distress as a result of watching the video Ministry of Health

All New Zealanders Ministry of Health


Goals and outcomes – 3–12 months post-event

Support people and communities affected by the Christchurch mosque attacks to cope and recover

Expected outcomes

1 Enable normal grieving and recovery

2 Support and treat mental distress

3 Promote wellbeing, coping and recovery

4 Enhance community cohesion

Actions for 3–12 months post-event

1.1 Support local level response and care coordination

1.2 Work in collaboration with other agencies to ensure basic needs are met (eg, housing, financial needs, immigration status)

2.1 Resource organisations to identify and engage affected populations

2.2 Collaborate with agencies to streamline access pathways and lift barriers to access support

2.3 Support the national telehealth response

2.4 Support Canterbury DHB’s local response

2.5 Build workforce capability in trauma-informed approaches

2.6 Build workforce cultural capability and resources

3.1 Promote public wellbeing and mental health literacy

3.2 Promote wellbeing campaigns (both locally and nationally)

3.3 National coordination of wellbeing promotion resources

4.1 Promote community initiatives to enhance community cohesion and social support

4.2 Provide advice to organisations to engage affected populations

4.3 Promote resources for workplace wellbeing

4.4 Promote positive diversity messages

Resources • Imams and

spiritual leaders • Ministry of Social

Development Case Management model

• Ngāi Tahu • Victim Support

• National Telehealth Service

• Kāhui Tū Kaha • Workforce centres

(LeVa, Te Pou o te Whakaaro Nui, Te Rau Ora and Werry Workforce Whāraurau)

• Mental Health Foundation

• Health Promotion Agency

• All Right? campaign • Five Ways to Wellbeing • Ministry of Health

National response • Ministry of Education • Canterbury Resilience

hub

• The Office of Ethnic Communities

• Mana Ake • New Zealand Police • City leaders and

Canterbury communities

• Human Rights Commission

Specific interventions at a local and national level are outlined in more detail in each of the four tables below. Each table aligns with an expected outcome and accompanying actions, linked with the framework of the table above.


Expected Outcome #1: Enable normal grieving and recovery Action Lead agency Resources Target population

1.1 Support local level response and care coordination

Provide leadership to the people of Canterbury and support and manaakitanga to those directly affected and the many visitors and dignitaries

Imams and spiritual leaders Ngāi Tahu

The All Right? campaign (refer to page 17)

Muslim community, Canterbury population

Work with the families of the deceased, the injured and their families, and witnesses to the event, and link them through to counselling and primary mental health services as needed

MSD Victim Support, CDHB, Pegasus Health

Victims and whānau of the directly affected

1.2 Ensure basic needs are met (housing, financial needs, immigration status)

Ensure basic needs are met through the Case Management model

MSD CDHB Victims and whānau of the directly affected

Collaborate with CDHB to ensure barriers are lifted to access healthcare services

Ministry of Health CDHB Victims and whānau of the directly affected


Expected Outcome #2: Support and treat mental distress Action Lead agency Resources Target population

2.1 Resource organisations to identify and engage affected populations

Collaborate with organisations to coordinate local response to the mosque attacks and streamline pathways to primary mental health and social services

MSD CDHB, Pegasus Health, Victim Support, Refugee Resettlement Centre, Canterbury Charity Hospital


Add capacity from Kāhui Tū Kaha Muslim Team (Auckland-based NGO) while local Muslim capability is built

CDHB Pegasus Health, Kāhui Tū Kaha Victims and whānau of the directly affected

Engage with the Muslim community to develop understanding of need

CDHB Kāhui Tū Kaha, local community groups

Muslim community in Christchurch

Coordinate responses and resources across health and other agencies, as well as provision of tools and online resources

Ministry of Health CDHB, Pegasus Health, National Telehealth Service, MSD

All New Zealanders

Link with Government departments and other agencies at a national and local level

Ministry of Health MSD, Oranga Tamariki, MoE, New Zealand Red Cross, Salvation Army, Victim Support

All New Zealanders

2.2 Collaborate with agencies to streamline access pathways and lift barriers to access support

Waive co-payments for general practice visits, effective immediately for one year

CDHB Primary health, funding from the Ministry


Waive fees for access to primary mental health interventions, effective immediately for one year

CDHB Primary health and NGOs, with funding from the Ministry


Monitor and work with DHBs across New Zealand to respond to increased demand

Ministry of Health DHBs All New Zealanders

2.3 Support the national telehealth response

Ensure adequate resourcing for telehealth services (1737 and other mental and physical services)

Ministry of Health National Telehealth Service, funded by the Ministry

All New Zealanders

2.4 Support Canterbury DHB’s local response

Extend time-limited funding that was allocated to Christchurch following the earthquakes, including for primary and community mental health workers and community grants

Ministry of Health CDHB Christchurch population


Action Lead agency Resources Target population

2.5 Build workforce capability in trauma-informed approaches

Engage with Muslim psychologists to focus on workforce development and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) treatment interventions

CDHB NZ Muslim Psychologists Collective, Muslim clinicians, and the Muslim community


Link with national workforce centres to build capability to implement trauma-informed approaches

Ministry of Health Workforce centres (LeVa, Te Pou o te Whakaaro Nui, Te Rau Ora and Werry Workforce Whāraurau)

All New Zealanders

2.6 Build workforce cultural capability and resources

Develop a local Muslim workforce by engaging with the Muslim community

CDHB NZ Muslim Psychologists Collective


Facilitate community workshops to build trust with the directly affected and facilitate access to clinical support

CDHB NZ Muslim Psychologists Collective, Muslim clinicians, and the Muslim community


Provide cultural competence training, clinical advisory, supervision and peer support

NZ Muslim Psychologists Collective

CDHB Muslim community in Christchurch

Link with national workforce centres to support training to enhance cultural capability of the health workforce

Ministry of Health Workforce centres (LeVa, Te Pou o te Whakaaro Nui, Te Rau Ora and Werry Workforce Whāraurau)

All New Zealanders


Expected Outcome #3: Promote wellbeing, coping, and recovery Action Lead agency Resources Target population

3.1 Promote public wellbeing and mental health literacy

Take leadership of national wellbeing promotion in response to the mosque attacks and link New Zealanders at a national level

Ministry of Health CDHB and the All Right? campaign, MHF, HPA, National Telehealth Service

The Muslim population, all New Zealanders

Identify key stakeholders within the Muslim community and reorient existing tools and resources to reach the Muslim community

MHF, the All Right? campaign, HPA

Ministry of Health The Muslim population across New Zealand

Promote wellbeing and recovery for schools and early learning communities

Ministry of Education School and early learning communities

School staff and young people

3.2 Promote wellbeing campaigns (both locally and nationally)

Encourage engagement with the ‘Five Ways to Wellbeing’ (refer to page 19)


All New Zealanders

Reorient existing tools and resources to promote population level positive mental health promotion

MHF, the All Right? campaign

HPA, Ministry of Health All New Zealanders

Apply a wellbeing lens over existing resources HPA National Depression Initiative All New Zealanders

Work with Muslim clinicians to reorient existing online resources National Telehealth Service

1737 service, funded by the Ministry

The Muslim population across New Zealand

3.3 National coordination of wellbeing promotion resources

Establish and manage virtual Resilience Hub, an online resource to access information and connect with health and other agencies as required

CDHB Local resources Canterbury population

Establish a governance group to link wellbeing campaigns and promote population level wellbeing and access to support


The Muslim population, all New Zealanders

Link with wellbeing promotion agencies and guide callers into services where appropriate

National Telehealth Service

Ministry of Health, CDHB, MHF, HPA

All New Zealanders


Expected Outcome #4: Enhance community cohesion Action Lead agency Resources Target population

4.1 Promote community initiatives to enhance community cohesion and social support

Coordinate City Leaders’ meetings to stay connected, share information and guide direction

CDHB City leaders and Canterbury communities

The wider Canterbury population

Oversee the integration of mental health specialists into Christchurch resettlement services to provide support to refugees relocated to the Christchurch region

CDHB Christchurch resettlement services Muslim community and refugees in Christchurch

4.2 Provide advice to organisations to engage affected populations

Support school communities with information resources and direct contact with children and families/whānau as needed

Mana Ake Ministry of Education, CDHB, National Telehealth Service


Provide a fact sheet and information pack for all schools in the Canterbury region

New Zealand Police CDHB, National Telehealth Service The wider Canterbury population

Contribute to all-of-Government coordination, including helpline and fact sheets

Ministry of Health MSD, MoE, MoJ, ACC, DIA, MBIE, Oranga Tamariki, National Telehealth Service, MHUD

All New Zealanders

4.3 Promote resources for workplace wellbeing

Ensure access to existing workplace wellbeing resources and additional support as needed

Ministry of Health MHF All New Zealanders

4.4 Promote positive diversity messages

Promote new wellbeing promotion campaign specific to the mosque attacks

CDHB The All Right? campaign, MHF, National Telehealth Service

Muslim community, Canterbury population, all New Zealanders

Collaborate with Human Rights Commission and other agencies to promote diversity and social inclusion campaigns

Ministry of Health Human Rights Commission, Office of Ethnic Communities

All New Zealanders


Actions in Christchurch In terms of the high-level response, CDHB continues to: • engage widely with the Muslim community to understand their needs and

aspirations • meet with other agencies to share information and coordinate activities • work with the Ministry of Social Development (MSD) and others to oversee the Case

Management/Navigation model • expand clinical leadership to provide a wide range of perspectives

• meet with funders to work out how money will be allocated for people accessing mental health services

• plan and implement initiatives for the coming months, including how people from the impacted communities can lead the response.

Specific actions and interventions at the local level • Primary mental health has added capacity from Kāhui Tū Kaha Muslim Team

(Auckland-based NGO) – this is agreed while local Muslim capability is built. • CDHB is working on the development of a local Muslim workforce to pick up the

role of Kāhui Tū Kaha when they transition back to Auckland. CDHB are engaging with key people from the Muslim community and working with the NZ Muslim Psychologists Collective to support the development of the new team.

• The NZ Muslim Psychologists Collective will provide cultural competence training, clinical advisory, supervision and peer support as well as taking a lead role in the delivery of community wellbeing workshops.

• CDHB is starting community workshops (psychoeducation sessions) to provide a means of building trust with the directly affected, particularly in the Muslim community, and facilitate access to clinical support. The workshops will be facilitated jointly by Muslim people and health clinicians.

• Primary and specialist health services are collaborating to meet the needs of victims. People discharged from hospital have a wrap-around package of care.

• The All Right? campaign8 has rolled out a new wellbeing promotion campaign specific to the mosque attacks, tailored to the whole community. This has been well received and reached a much wider audience with requests for resources coming in

8 The All Right? campaign is a Healthy Christchurch initiative, and a partnership between the Public

Health Unit at CDHB and the Mental Health Foundation.


from across New Zealand. Resources are being translated into several languages including Arabic, Somali, Urdu, Hindi, Dari, Nepali and Tigrinya.

• The Mana Ake9 project team established a hub based at the Canterbury Design Lab to triage requests for support and they have connected with all schools to determine and respond to need.

• The ‘Leading Lights’ website (one of the Mana Ake initiative’s key elements) is supporting the Mana Ake response across the education sector.

• ACC are continuing to receive claims for mental injury. • Operational group for integrated service response for families impacted has been

set up to review multi-agency families and resolve issues through a lead contact. • The Canterbury Charity Hospital is providing free counselling sessions following the

attacks. The response aims to ensure that existing resources are reprioritised to meet immediate needs. Appendix 1 shows how other agencies are currently working to respond to support needs.

9 Mana Ake – Stronger for Tomorrow provides support for children aged 5 to 12 years across Canterbury.

There are 62 FTE Mana Ake kaimahi working in 165 Canterbury primary schools. The final complement of 18 kaimahi were welcomed on 1 April 2019.


Actions and planning at the national level The Ministry team continues to work with CDHB and other agencies to support and coordinate the provision of support at a national level. Two national resources, ‘Coping after a traumatic event’, and ‘Supporting your kids after a traumatic event’ have been produced and published in English, Arabic, Farsi, Indonesian, Malay, Somali, Turkish, Urdu , NZ Sign Language and Easy Read: www.health.govt.nz/our-work/mental-health-and-addictions/mental-health/mental-health-advice-coping-after-traumatic-event The Ministry continues to: • coordinate the provision of tools and on-line resources

• coordinate responses and resources across health and other agencies • support and enable efforts to increase access to primary health care (including

primary mental health interventions) for those directly impacted by the attacks • enable development of additional resources for all those affected, both locally and

nationally, including culturally and linguistically appropriate resources • support and enable psychosocial support interventions targeted to Muslim

communities to ensure culturally and linguistically appropriate responsive services • support training for trauma-informed care for the wider health workforce

• contribute to the all-of-Government helpline and fact sheets • link with other Government departments, including the MSD, Oranga Tamariki, the

Ministry of Housing and Urban Development (MHUD) and the Ministry of Education (MoE), as well as agencies such as the New Zealand Red Cross, Salvation Army and Victim Support at a national and local level.

National Telehealth Service 1737 (run by Homecare Medical) The 1737 service was utilised in the days following the mosque attacks and has been promoted throughout the crisis response, ensuring all New Zealanders have easy access to virtual support and counselling.


Access to free support from a trained counsellor is available nationally through the 1737 service, 24/7 and was widely promoted as a form of psychological first response during and since the attacks. Contact volumes remain higher than normal, coming from Canterbury and across New Zealand. The 1737 provider, Homecare Medical, has reported a concerning level of ongoing contacts with distress and trauma directly related to the event. The total number of sessions delivered through 1737 from 15 March to 29 May 2019 was 33,079 with the provider reporting volumes 25 percent higher than normal (media reporting and community events continue to trigger increases in contacts). The psychological impacts are not confined to the Canterbury region, with over 25 percent of contacts coming from the Auckland region. The Ministry continues to actively support Homecare Medical and DHBs have allocated additional staff for the 1737 roster. More than 150 mental health professionals have been working on the telehealth response.

National coordination of wellbeing promotion resources The Ministry has established a governance group with wellbeing promotion and service delivery agencies to link wellbeing campaigns and collaborate on a ‘layered’ approach to promote population level wellbeing and access to support. This governance group will take leadership of national wellbeing promotion in response to the mosque attacks and encourage engagement with the Five Ways to Wellbeing.10 It will strive to link people at a national level to ensure New Zealanders feel connected and supported. Actions from the Wellbeing Promotion Governance Group aim to ensure consistency of high level population messages and health promotion and align with recommendations set out by He Ara Oranga (Report of the Government Inquiry into Mental Health and Addiction).11 The group will meet on a six-weekly basis to provide updates, link initiatives and plan for the coming months. The ‘layered’ approach outlines three layers of wellbeing promotion, listed on page 20. The governance group identified the agencies that will take the lead within each layer to support the needs of Muslim communities across New Zealand and the wider New Zealand population.

10 The Five Ways to Wellbeing are evidence-based actions important for the wellbeing of individuals and

communities. The five actions are: Connect, Give, Take notice, Keep learning, and Be active. 11 He Ara Oranga, the report of the Government Inquiry into Mental Health and Addiction, was published

in November 2018 as a result of the Inquiry, which involved widespread public consultation. He Ara Oranga outlines a set of 40 recommendations to transform New Zealand’s approach to mental health and addiction.


1. Population level positive mental health promotion: a. The Mental Health Foundation (MHF) and the All Right? campaign will

align initiatives, reorient existing tools and resources and agree on consistent messaging and behaviour change promotion to the wider New Zealand population.

b. MHF and the All Right? campaign will identify key stakeholders within the Muslim community, coordinate focus group testing, connect with the Health Promotion Agency and reorient existing tools and resources to reach the Muslim community.

2. Resources and public campaigns to support individuals and/or whānau in mental distress: a. The Health Promotion Agency/Te Hiringa Hauora (HPA) will review its

existing online resources, such as the National Depression Initiative,12 and apply a wellbeing lens over these products to support the wider New Zealand community who may be experiencing mental distress.

b. HPA will identify key stakeholders and work with the wider Muslim community to identify and develop approaches to support this community who may be experiencing mental distress. HPA will ensure its messages support other wellbeing promotion activities.

3. Enabling access to community and clinical services, particularly for populations who may face barriers:

a. The National Telehealth Service will seek opportunities to link with other wellbeing promotion agencies and media and continue to guide callers into appropriate services through a range of channels.

b. The National Telehealth Service will summarise and present data of people who contact the mental health helplines to better understand demographics of the population seeking help. The National Telehealth service will also work with the Ministry of Health to explore the Umeed13 phone and online counselling service for Muslim communities.

12 The National Depression Initiative focuses on reducing the impacts of depression and anxiety through

early recognition and appropriate treatment (depression.org.nz and thelowdown.co.nz). 13 Umeed is a virtual counselling service created in response to the mosque attacks. The model allows

clients to choose a mental health professional with specific language and cultural capacity for their mental health needs.


Next steps and communication The Ministry has consulted and will continue to liaise with Government departments, CDHB, and other agencies such as HPA, MHF, the All Right? campaign, and the National Telehealth Service in the development of this plan. This plan will guide the longer term response and recovery actions at the national level. This iteration of the plan covers ongoing and future actions for the next nine months, following 15 March 2019. This plan is a living document that the Ministry will continue to review and develop as the longer term impacts of the attacks become clearer. The plan will be published on the Ministry website as it is updated. The Ministry will continue to ensure access to appropriate support and interventions, reviewing actions under this plan and making any recommendations for further support based on identified needs, ongoing coordination and support for CDHB’s recovery plan.


Appendix 1: Immediate and short-term actions by agencies

Agency/ provider Response provided Target population

Health sector (summary)

• Helpline: anyone can call or text 1737 and talk to a trained counsellor. This is a free 24/7 service.

• CDHB are coordinating and prioritising health services to meet demand.

• Primary mental health services are available through general practice.

All New Zealanders. New Zealand resident or citizens, fee may apply to non-residents. Travel insurance may cover.

Ministry of Education

• Provided trauma support directly into schools.

• In partnership with Canterbury Health System, supporting schools through Mana Ake workers, resources and information.

Canterbury primary and intermediate students.

New Zealand Police • Police Family Liaison teams have now transitioned across to MSD integrated whānau wellbeing response services.

• Police are continuing to work with those directly affected as witnesses in preparation for court proceedings.

Those directly affected.

Victim Support • Immediate emotional support in a crisis.

• Practical support such as completing forms, applying for grants.

• Emergency grants and financial assistance.

• Information and advice. • Someone to listen and talk with. • Referral to counselling and other

government and community services.

• Family members of someone who has died.

• People who were admitted to hospital following the attack, and their family members.

• Witnesses to the attack. NB: Don’t need to be New Zealand citizen or resident.


Agency/ provider Response provided Target population

ACC • Paying for medical care. • Weekly compensation for loss of

earnings. • Help at home. • Childcare and help at home to care

for children. For families who have lost a loved one: • Help with funeral costs. • Survivor grants for families. • Ongoing support for children in

New Zealand when a parent/caregiver has died.

• Weekly compensation for families.

• People injured in the attack, their family and support people.

• People who lost a loved one in the attack.

NB: Includes visitors who have been injured in New Zealand.

Ministry of Social Development (Work and Income)

• The MSD is leading the integrated whānau wellbeing response, focused on bereaved families, the injured and their families.

• Payments for urgent or unexpected costs such as food, bedding, petrol and other travel costs within New Zealand.

• Advance payment of benefit of up to six weeks.

• Emergency Benefit for people who don’t qualify for any other benefit.

• Civil Defence Payment for loss of income.

• Civil Defence Payment for having to leave home.

People affected by the Christchurch tragedy or who need to travel to Christchurch because of it (don’t have to be on a benefit). Those who have lost income due to workplace closed, cannot travel to work or need to stay with family/whānau. Having to leave home due to living in an area within a Police cordon, providing a place to stay for friends or family, food, clothing or bedding.

supporting people affected by the christchurch mosque attacks€¦ · supporting people affected by...

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