Wai Research to study Māori mental health

MEDIA RELEASE

8 February, 2017

Wai Research to study Māori mental health

Wai Research – the research arm of Whānau Waipareira – will carry out a 12 month project that could refocus services for Māori mental health.

The Ngā Kanohi Kitea grant from the New Zealand Health Research Council will allow Wai Research to explore the mental health needs of the West Auckland Māori community. Those needs can be easily replicated throughout the country.

‘HeKimihia te Hauora Hinengaro’ will build on what is already known about kaupapa Māori models of mental health service delivery. This will be supported by Wai Research’s ‘Kaupapa Māori Models of Psychological Therapy & Mental Health Services’ literature review which was published in 2016, as well as engaging with the West Auckland community around their mental health needs and current service provision.

This research will have the oversight of Wai Research Pou, Professor Sir Mason Durie, one of the foremost experts in Māori psychology, alongside a team of researchers who are experts in their fields and include mental health researcher Dr Te Kani Kingi, and Mark Strang, Maori mental health counsellor.

Wai Research Director Dr Tanya Allport said this was an important project.

“Whānau Waipareira is very excited to be able to profile the needs of our West Auckland Maori community,” Dr Allport said.

“While we know through our frontline services there are high and complex needs, there is no current research of our particular area to prove this. Receiving the grant from the Health Research Council will allow us to be specific about identifying the existing issues and the existing mental health services, and also determine the barriers that are stopping our people from accessing the right services.”

HeKimihia te Hauora Hinengaro’ follows up the ‘Kaupapa Māori Models of Psychological Therapy & Mental Health Services’ literature review. For the full report or more information on Wai Research follow link http://www.waipareira.com/wai-research.html

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