Earlier this month, eMHIC brought together leaders from ProCare Fresh Minds and Tacklit for a fireside chat on what it takes to transform mental health service delivery at scale.

eMHIC, the eMental Health International Collaborative, plays a unique role in the sector. As a global, not-for-profit network, it connects service leaders, clinicians, researchers and technology providers to share practical insights on digital mental health. The emphasis is on real-world experience. This session reflected that, grounding the discussion in Fresh Minds’ transformation journey.

Hosted by Nicole Waldron, the conversation brought together Dr Tania Wilson, General Manager of Fresh Minds, and Chris Griffiths, Co-founder and CEO of Tacklit. Nicole set the tone early: “The technology systems behind mental health services shape how care is delivered every day… transformation is not a single moment but an ongoing process.”

That perspective carried throughout the session.

Fresh Minds has grown significantly over the past two decades, expanding from around 30 clinicians to approximately 140, with services spanning primary care, schools, and national programmes. As Dr Wilson explained, growth made the limitations of existing systems increasingly visible.

“We had a CMS that was just not up to par… quite archaic,” she said. “It wasn’t able to provide us with the system support that we needed.”

The consequences were familiar to many organisations in the sector. Increasing outages, reliance on manual workarounds, and limited interoperability created friction across daily operations. At the same time, expectations around data, reporting, and outcomes were increasing.

“We wanted something that could capture data and turn it into actionable insights… and track how well we were doing,” Dr Wilson explained.

Chris Griffiths positioned this challenge in a broader context. Many mental health organisations are doing essential work while operating on systems that limit their ability to scale or innovate. Tacklit was founded to address this gap, shaped by lived experience and a belief that better infrastructure can enable better care.

The partnership between Fresh Minds and Tacklit emerged from this alignment. It was not a technology-led decision, but a response to a clear operational need combined with confidence in sector-specific capability.

“It looked like Tacklit was aligned with what we were doing… and I thought, they know how to work in mental health,” Dr Wilson said.

Implementation quickly became more than a system rollout. It was an organisational shift, requiring deep collaboration across clinical, operational and technical teams. Dr Wilson captured this simply: “It takes a village… and it certainly takes a village to stand up a new CMS.”

That “village” included clinicians, operations leaders, data specialists, referrers and consumers. Cultural relevance was also central. In the Aotearoa context, ensuring the system reflected local communities and values was treated as a core requirement, not an add-on.

The journey was not without challenges. Data migration proved complex. Timelines were tighter than ideal. Some clinicians were initially reluctant to adopt a new system.

“During this implementation, we did have some staff who were quite frustrated,” Dr Wilson acknowledged.

What changed over time was how those same clinicians experienced the system once it was embedded into their workflows.

“When they now say, actually, I really love Tacklit… that was both a relief to me, but also reassuring that we’ve brought on board the right system.”

The early impact has been both measurable and meaningful. Referral processing time has reduced by approximately 50%, significantly improving intake efficiency. Data quality has strengthened, with more consistent and structured information available across services. Leaders now have clearer visibility into activity and outcomes, supporting better decision-making.

At the same time, the benefits extend beyond operational efficiency. The platform has enabled more flexible models of care. Integrated virtual care allows teams to move seamlessly between in-person and remote delivery, improving access and responsiveness.

“It is a game changer in terms of our ability to flex and meet the needs of our clients,” Dr Wilson said.

For Chris Griffiths, these outcomes reflect something more fundamental than system improvement. They represent a shift towards building the right foundations for scale.

When workflows, data and service delivery are connected, organisations can continuously improve. They can respond to demand more effectively, demonstrate outcomes with confidence, and introduce new capabilities, including AI, in a way that is grounded in real operational context.

What stood out most across the session was a shared understanding of what transformation requires. It is not a single decision or a one-off implementation. It is a sustained effort that brings together technology, people and purpose.

Dr Wilson reflected candidly on this point: “For anyone contemplating a transformation… be realistic about the timeline for change. We probably needed more time for an easier transition.”

That lesson, alongside the importance of bringing clinicians and stakeholders on the journey, resonated strongly.

By the end of the discussion, there was clear alignment between all participants. Technology, when thoughtfully implemented, strengthens human-led care. It enables organisations to scale access, improve quality, and respond to growing demand without losing what matters most.

For leaders facing similar challenges, fragmented systems, rising demand, and increasing expectations around data, the Fresh Minds experience offers a practical example of how to move forward.

To explore the full case study, including detailed outcomes and implementation approach: read the full case study.