12. Question No. 12—Mental HealthDAN BIDOIS (National—Northcote) to the Minister for Mental HealthQuestion No. 12—Mental Health12. DAN BIDOIS (National—Northcote) to the Minister for Mental Health: What recent announcement has he made regarding the Mental Health and Addiction Community Sector Innovation Fund?Hon MATT DOOCEY (Minister for Mental Health): Today I announced that applications will open for the Government's new $10 million Mental Health and Addiction Community Sector Innovation Fund. The fund will support new and innovative initiatives that are focused on increasing access to better mental health support. The fund has an emphasis on innovation and delivering scalable solutions and in doing so we'll increase the access to mental health and addiction support. This fund was inspired from listening to grassroots organisations who are already delivering for their communities.Dan Bidois: Why is the Government establishing such a mental health and addiction innovation fund?Hon MATT DOOCEY: That's a very good question. This Government is committed to getting money out of Wellington out of the bureaucracy and investing in our hard-working NGO and community mental health providers who are already delivering. The fund will support innovative community providers of mental health services to scale up their already successful operations so they can reach more vulnerable Kiwis without putting more pressure on the publicly funded mental health workforce. I firmly believe the answers to many of the issues we have in mental health are already out there in the sector and just need to be backed by this Government. I'm proud to be part of a Government that has listened to the innovative ideas and to the people behind these ideas that has resulted in the development of this fund.Dan Bidois: Who will be eligible for funding in this fund?Hon MATT DOOCEY: The innovation fund will be open to NGOs and community mental health and addiction providers including iwi-based and other kaupapa Māori providers across the motu. The fund provides access to Government-matched funding up to $1 million for innovative projects and initiatives that will improve mental health outcomes in this country. To be eligible for funding through the innovation fund providers will need to demonstrate that their initiative is scalable increases access to mental health and addiction support delivers a positive social return on investment and uses a workforce outside the publicly funded mental health workforce.Dan Bidois: How can organisations apply for the fund?Hon MATT DOOCEY: Very good question. The request for proposals for the first round of funding will open today on the Government procurement website gets.govt.nz. I expect the first contracts with providers to be in place by early November. I'm advised that since the details went up on the Government procurement website there have been over 300 inquiries—and some of them from Australia—from interested providers within the mental health and addiction sector all with innovative ideas on how to lift the performance of the mental health and addiction system. I'm proud to be part of a Government that takes mental health seriously and is investing in it through Budget 2024.