New Zealand Human Rights Commission Submission to the CAT in relation to NZ’s 6th periodic review 169. Despite some very positive developments, such as increased adolescent mental health services, improved screening for mental health issues in prisons, efforts to reduce seclusion, and a successful pilot initiative placing mental health nurses in Police watch houses, overall, mental health issues in detention remain a concern. An ongoing concern is that detainees experiencing mental illness should be professionally treated in a therapeutic environment, rather than managed in a custodial setting. 170. According to the New Zealand Police Mental Health Team, Police dealt with around 5,000 mental health related jobs in 1995/96. By contrast in 2103/14 Police responded to over 25,500 mental health related calls for assistance.91 171. In March 2015 the IPCA released a review of Police custodial management92 that identified systemic and organizational deficits that contributed to recurring problems in Police detention. Specifically, the IPCA noted that discussions with Police and Area Mental Health Services staff have clearly shown that the problems with the way Police respond to vulnerable and mentally impaired persons are commonplace. 172. The report highlighted the absence of appropriate alternatives to Police detention for dealing with vulnerable people, including those who have not committed an offence, and the lack of a timely response by Mental Health Services to mentally impaired persons in Police custody. The IPCA considers that, unless they are violent or pose an obvious and immediate threat to the safety of others, all practicable steps should be taken to avoid having mentally impaired people detained in Police cells solely for the purpose of receiving a mental health assessment.93 173. Police have developed new training packages for both recruit and frontline officers based on feedback from Mental Health Service User (“MHSU”) groups, and acknowledged the importance of having MHSU involved in future thinking around mental health crisis response. Police watch houses with on-site mental health nurses have also resulted in better monitoring and continuity of care during police custody. The SPT recommended this practice be applied nationally. 91 New Zealand Police, Mental Health Team Newsletter, November 2014, p2. IPCA, Review of Police Custodial Management, Wellington (March 2015). 93 Ibid. 92 66