'Clinical lead' title of I am Hope staffer an 'oversight', charity says

A youth counselling charity says its 'clinical lead' should not have been given that title, but they are more than capable of doing the job.

I Am Hope, the charitable organisation behind the Gumboot Friday initiative, is facing questions about its clinical standards of care.

It follows an announcement last month by Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey that the government would provide $24 million of funding for Gumboot Friday over four years.

Labour MP and mental health spokesperson Ingrid Leary has been critical of the funding, saying the procurement process has not been fair and transparent.

"Since the announcement I've had many agencies and individuals come to me with concerns about both the procurement process and the clinical standards. Some of them have been afraid to speak out because they are concerned it could jeopardise their own funding, others are now coming forward. I'm just concerned the minister didn't do his due diligence," she said.

"Certainly having funding and those types of systems available may be useful, but the scrutiny hasn't occurred from the government as to whether it is the right model."

Labour also provided funding to the charity when it was in power, but Leary said that involved a much smaller sum and a more open process.

"The ($)600,000 initial funding was put into the infrastructure rather than directly to the counsellors and that to me is a risk-management process."

Leary was also worried about the charity's accreditation claims after Stuff broke the story that Carla King had been the 'clinical lead' at I Am Hope, but that term did not apply to counselling work.

In a statement, founder Mike King (no relation) acknowledged the wrong title had been used, describing it as an "oversight". Her role had now been changed to 'senior counselling supervisor'.

"Carla King holds a postgraduate diploma in counselling, a BA in psychology and sociology with honours, and is a certified mental health and addictions supervisor. She has extensive experience and is more than capable of her role," Mike King said.

However, Leary said revelation of the mishap was alarming.

"The issue that I have is with the failure of the minister to do his job, which is to have a strategic approach to mental health, to have a fair and transparent process and to ensure that clinical standards are met," she said.

"I'm not saying they're not met in this case, but to learn that somebody had a job title by mistake and wasn't qualified and that those qualifications were not appropriate for what has been described as a mental health and addiction practitioner workforce by the minister raises alarm bells. It's really important for taxpayers to know that the minister has done his job to ensure safety and proper procurement."

It was "unacceptable" the minister had not recognised the charity's clinical lead was not qualified for her title, Leary said.

Doocey said the decision to fund the charity was part of National's coalition agreement with New Zealand First.

The contract was currently being hashed out by the Ministry of Health, with help from Health New Zealand, he said, but it would be managed in line with other non-government organisation health service contracts.

"It is my expectation that, consistent with other government health services contracts, the contract will include key terms and conditions governing the use of public funding to fund non-government organisations.

"It is also my expectation counsellors, therapists and health professionals that provide services for Gumboot Friday are suitably qualified and registered with an appropriate body," Doocey said.