Bridging the Gap: Improving Capability of Staff Assisting People with Learning Disability or Autism Who Experience Mental Distress

Lead organisation:

Te Pou Waiora

Te Pou Waiora is developing a nationwide training programme to give disability support staff the skills, knowledge and tools to assist people with learning disability and autistic people who experience trauma or mental distress. Delivered across three co-designed streams; for people with learning disability, autistic people, and people with complex support and communication needs, the training is grounded in evidence-based practice and built around each person's own expressed preferences, including their Hi-5 Wellness Plan.

New Zealand research shows co-occurring mental health conditions affect more than 68% of autistic young people, nearly seven times the general population rate, with similarly elevated rates among people with learning disability. Despite this need, mental health services frequently turn people away for not meeting criteria, leaving disability support staff to hold the responsibility without the training to do so. Currently, no nationally available training exists to close this gap.

Co-designed with People First NZ, Autism NZ, Complex Care Group and NZDSN providers, the training is co-led throughout by people with lived experience and tangata whaikaha Māori.

The project will produce freely accessible training resources, published on Te Pou Waiora's website and shared through the NZ Federation of Disability Information Centres' 27 member centres, alongside a piloted train-the-trainer programme.

Better-equipped staff means fewer inappropriate crisis referrals, fewer avoidable hospitalisations, and more people supported safely in their own communities.