Our Team
Jam Jones, MN, NP
Nurse Practitioner | Founder & Director, Connected Minds
Jam Jones is a Mental Health Nurse Practitioner and the founder of Connected Minds – a clinic built to provide thoughtful, comprehensive care for individuals and whānau navigating neurodevelopmental and mental health challenges.
Originally from the Philippines, Jam moved to Aotearoa New Zealand with her family in 2005. With over 15 years’ experience across child, youth, family, adult, and perinatal mental health services, she brings a depth of clinical expertise shaped by working alongside individuals and families across a wide range of settings, including specialist Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS).
Jam completed her Bachelor of Nursing at Manukau Institute of Technology and a Master of Nursing at Massey University. She qualified as a Nurse Practitioner in January 2023.
At Connected Minds, she provides end-to-end care – from assessment and diagnosis through to prescribing and ongoing support – with a specialist focus on neurodiversity and ADHD.
Her approach is neuroaffirming, whānau-centred, trauma-informed, and evidence-based. She believes meaningful assessment goes beyond symptoms – it is about understanding the whole person within the context of their whānau, culture, strengths, and lived experience.
Jam is known for bringing clarity to complexity – supporting individuals and families to make sense of their experiences and move forward with confidence, direction, and practical support.
Her professional memberships are:
- NPNZ (College of Nurses Aotearoa)
- Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health (ACAMH)
- Australian and New Zealand Mental Health Association (ANZMH)
- Australian ADHD Professionals Association (AADPA)
- Attention Deficit Disorder Association (ADDA)
- International Marcé Society for Perinatal Mental Health
What Is a Nurse Practitioner?
A Nurse Practitioner (NP) is an advanced practice registered nurse with postgraduate education, extensive clinical experience, and advanced clinical authority.
In New Zealand, Nurse Practitioners:
- Are registered and regulated by the Nursing Council of New Zealand
- Practise autonomously within an approved scope
- Can conduct comprehensive assessments
- Can diagnose health conditions
- Can prescribe medications
- Hold full clinical and legal accountability for care provided
Why Connected Minds?
Because mental health and neurodevelopment don’t exist in isolation – they are shaped through connection.
At Connected Minds, the name reflects a core belief: that meaningful, effective care happens when we understand the whole person within their relationships, family, culture, and lived experience. Minds are not separate from the people and environments around them – they are connected.
The name also reflects how care is delivered: not fragmented or rushed, but joined-up, collaborative, and respectful of each person’s story.
Our Purpose
Connected Minds exists to deliver clinically sound, evidence-based care within a framework of connection - recognising that mental health and neurodevelopment are shaped through relationships, family, and context. We are committed to improving access to timely, high-quality assessment and support, helping individuals and whānau navigate services with clarity and confidence.
Our Values
Connection
Whānau-Centred Care
Neuroaffirming Practice
We honour neurodiversity and individual differences. Our work focuses on strengths, understanding, and support – not deficit or blame.
Evidence-Based Excellence
Collaboration
Integrity & Accountability
Compassion
Clinical Safety & Governance
- Connected Minds operates within defined clinical scope and exclusions
- Risk is assessed throughout the care pathway
- Escalation and referral pathways are in place for situations outside scope or requiring urgent intervention
- All care is delivered in accordance with professional standards, clinical governance frameworks, and NZ privacy legislation