TY - JOUR
KW - Adolescent
KW - Adult
KW - Female
KW - Humans
KW - Male
KW - Mental Disorders/ethnology/therapy
KW - Mental Health Services/organization & administration/standards/utilization
KW - Middle Aged
KW - New Zealand
KW - Oceanic Ancestry Group/psychology
KW - Patient Satisfaction
KW - Program Evaluation
KW - Quality of Health Care
KW - Vulnerable Populations/psychology
KW - Young Adult
AU - S. Abel
AU - B. Marshall
AU - D. Riki
AU - T. Luscombe
A1 - 
AB - BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT: New Zealand's primary mental health initiatives (PMHIs) have successfully filled a health service gap and shown good outcomes for many presenting with mild to moderate anxiety/depression in primary health care settings. Maori have higher rates of mental health disorders and complexity of social and mental health needs not matched by access to PMHIs. ASSESSMENT OF PROBLEM: The Wairua Tangata Programme (WTP), a Hawkes Bay PMHI, aimed to provide an integrated, flexible, holistic, tikanga Maori-based therapeutic service targeting underserved Maori, Pacific and Quintile 5 populations. External evaluation of the programme provided formative and outcome feedback. RESULTS: The WTP reported high engagement of Maori (particularly women), low non-attendance rates, good improvements in mental health assessment exit scores, strong stakeholder support and service user gratitude. GPs reported willingness to explore mental health issues in this high needs population. Challenges included engaging Pacific peoples and males and recruiting from scarce Maori, Pacific and male therapist workforces. STRATEGIES FOR IMPROVEMENT: Effectively meeting the target population's complex social and therapeutic needs required considerable programme flexibility, referral back into the programme and assistance with transitioning to other therapeutic or social support services. Referral criteria required adaptation to accommodate some sectors, especially youth. A group programme was developed specifically for males. LESSONS: A holistic PMHI programme delivered with considerable flexibility and a skilled, culturally fluent team working closely with primary care providers can successfully engage and benefit underserved Maori communities with complex social and mental health needs. Successful targeted programmes are integral to reducing mental health disparities.
BT - Journal of primary health care
C5 - Healthcare Disparities
CP - 3
CY - New Zealand
IS - 3
JF - Journal of primary health care
N2 - BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT: New Zealand's primary mental health initiatives (PMHIs) have successfully filled a health service gap and shown good outcomes for many presenting with mild to moderate anxiety/depression in primary health care settings. Maori have higher rates of mental health disorders and complexity of social and mental health needs not matched by access to PMHIs. ASSESSMENT OF PROBLEM: The Wairua Tangata Programme (WTP), a Hawkes Bay PMHI, aimed to provide an integrated, flexible, holistic, tikanga Maori-based therapeutic service targeting underserved Maori, Pacific and Quintile 5 populations. External evaluation of the programme provided formative and outcome feedback. RESULTS: The WTP reported high engagement of Maori (particularly women), low non-attendance rates, good improvements in mental health assessment exit scores, strong stakeholder support and service user gratitude. GPs reported willingness to explore mental health issues in this high needs population. Challenges included engaging Pacific peoples and males and recruiting from scarce Maori, Pacific and male therapist workforces. STRATEGIES FOR IMPROVEMENT: Effectively meeting the target population's complex social and therapeutic needs required considerable programme flexibility, referral back into the programme and assistance with transitioning to other therapeutic or social support services. Referral criteria required adaptation to accommodate some sectors, especially youth. A group programme was developed specifically for males. LESSONS: A holistic PMHI programme delivered with considerable flexibility and a skilled, culturally fluent team working closely with primary care providers can successfully engage and benefit underserved Maori communities with complex social and mental health needs. Successful targeted programmes are integral to reducing mental health disparities.
PP - New Zealand
PY - 2012
SN - 1172-6156; 1172-6156
SP - 242
EP - 248
EP - 
T1 - Evaluation of Tu Meke PHO's Wairua Tangata Programme: a primary mental health initiative for underserved communities
T2 - Journal of primary health care
TI - Evaluation of Tu Meke PHO's Wairua Tangata Programme: a primary mental health initiative for underserved communities
U1 - Healthcare Disparities
U2 - 22946074
VL - 4
VO - 1172-6156; 1172-6156
Y1 - 2012
ER -