Engaging Maori in Outcomes and Information Development

What is this work about?

This work will increase awareness of the utility of mental health and addiction outcomes and other information in Maori mental health services. For example, there is value to be gained by increasing awareness and utility of MHINC and other available data. It will also enhance outcomes for tangata whaiora and whanau by educating services about the importance of cultural differences and the impact that these have on outcome ratings, and the analysis and interpretation of data.

Background

This work recognises that the concept of whanau ora has been embraced by tangata whaiora Maori as a korowai for recovery.

What is Te Pou doing?

Over the next two years, Te Pou will focus on developing Maori workforce capability, including NGOs, to effectively use mental health information, and on increasing the responsiveness of services to Maori. Te Pou will take a value-add approach seeking to build on the gains already made in this area by working with key stakeholders and linking key publications and pieces of work.

Priority areas

Providing education about the impact of cultural values and norms on assessments and outcome measure ratings.
Developing a framework of ways to analyse, interpret and present Maori data constructively and meaningfully, so that it informs improved service delivery, both for non-Maori service delivery to Maori and for Maori services.

To address both these areas, Te Pou will develop and deliver a training programme aimed at maximising the opportunities and benefits of appropriate analysis and interpretation of Maori data.

Engagement

Engagement includes hosting regional and national forums, providing training, continuing to develop and maintain relationships with tangata whaiora, Maori managers, kaumatua and kaimahi, networking with other key stakeholder groups and developing effective working relationships with Te Rau Matatini, Maori research centres and leadership groups.

Te Pou is a member of, and networks with, a number of Maori interest groups.

The Waikato Maori MH&AOD Local Advisory Group
This group meets bi-monthly to network, advise and advocate on behalf of providers.

The Waikato Police District Iwi Group
This group provides advice and support to the Waikato District commander. Our membership of this group gives us access to regional and national Iwi leaders, regional and national police iwi liaison officers.

Midland Regional Maori Advisory Group
Te Pou is also a member of this group. Attendees are DHB Maori mental health managers, the Midland DHBs' general managers of Maori health, along with Maori NGO MH & AOD providers.

Supporting Whanau Ora in clinical practice

One of the central tenets of Whanau Ora is the interrelatedness of whanau relationships, with community, fulfilment and self reliance. The Health of the Nation Outcome Scale (HoNOS) has the ability to measure change in items that relate to this, for example, relationships, activities of daily living and community involvement.

At the College of Mental Health Nurses Conference held earlier this year Te Pou hosted a 1/2 day workshop to explore the usefulness of HoNOS information in supporting Whanau Ora. An outcome of the workshop was that clinicians saw utility and were interested in understanding how they might apply this in their practice. Te Pou is now developing a training package to do this.

Te Rangatahi Parae programme

In October 2009 Te Pou and Te Rau Matatini provided support for 20 Year 13 students to attend the final day of the New Zealand Psychiatry Conference, following a request from the conference organising committee.

The 20 students who attended were drawn from 13 schools in the Midland region and had to meet several criteria to be selected: they needed to excel in the sciences, be in Year 13 and have an interest in medicine. Places were limited to 10 Maori and 10 non-Maori students.

These criteria were set to ensure the students would be in the best position to get direct benefit from the experience as they consider further study and career options.

A project team of Laurie Hakiwai from Te Pou, Kahu McClintock from Te Rau Matatini and David Menkes from the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists has compiled a report on the Te Rangatahi Parae High School Students project, with a view to seeing whether this initiative could be replicated or repeated with other students and at other conferences. This report was publicly released in April 2010 and is available for download in PDF format below.

Te Rangatahi Parae Programme: Evaluation and feedback report PDF (469kb)

For more background information read the 15 October 2009 media release.

More information

For more information contact Laurie Hakiwai, clinical lead implementation.

Page last updated: 15 April 2010

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