Stories by Jess McAllen

The 21-member working group set up to advise the government's response to the mental health inquiry has been replaced with several more working groups.

A Māori health organisation has leaked a 207-page report on Māori submissions to the mental health and addiction inquiry, a month ahead of the government's planned date.

Mental health advocates are slamming the make-up of a Ministry of Health working group to advise the government on how to respond to the Mental Health and Addiction inquiry.

A panel set up to investigate the state of the country's community mental health services has been told there needs to be more focus on community based services. Audio

The government's mental health and addictions inquiry is launching in Palmerston North tomorrow but the contract for its 0800-number has not yet been finalised.

How a well-intentioned action can add to a family’s grief.

It's an easy issue to campaign on, but hard to get right.

A call for action, not another review.

The system has its flaws, but the unrelenting attention on a “broken” system is dangerous too.

More needs to be done to help those at risk, so let's get the facts straight.

Less talking, more listening.

New Zealand's suicide rate spiked again last year and those on the frontline - parents, friends and health workers - say more help is needed to prevent deaths.

Journalist Jess McAllen writes about the challenges she faced during her investigation and the reaction to her stories for #MentalHealthMatters.

Mental health services are supposed to avoid locking patients up in isolation - also known as seclusion. But it still happens.

Suicide bombing is seen by most New Zealanders as a terrorist act that happens overseas. But 33 years ago, an anarchist punk blew himself up trying to destroy “New Zealand’s Big Brother”.