National Māori and Pasifika Suicide Prevention Programme

Waka Hourua - National Māori and Pasifika Suicide Prevention Programme media release

WAKA HOURUA

Te Rau Matatini Pou Whakahaere Chief Executive – Maria Baker

31 August 2017 Midday release

If anything, we have learnt as Te Rau Matatini and Le Va in the National Māori and Pasifika Suicide Prevention Programme is that:

“Collaboraction (collaboration and action) is needed alongside mental health services”.

With primary care, social services, non-government organisations and across sector groups in communities. Collectively there is a need to create safety nets in communities and maximise effectiveness of services that will protect individuals against suicide risk.

It is important to be realistic about the role of mental health services in preventing suicide, given the challenges in resource. It is this specialist mental health workforce who are the most undervalued yet expected to provide interventions for people at risk. We have seen the extreme demands on this workforce across New Zealand, yet we do little to provide them the support they need let alone consider workforce development they require inside mental health services. What will help this workforce is a voice, more support in the workplace and access to differing systems of care in communities that enable a range of approaches to respond to risk safely.

Communities need to be part of the solution. If there are systems of care where all services shift to models of care in recognition of the importance of young people, family, community and their full potential - there is real hope their holistic health and social needs can be addressed early and effectively in their community.

This takes leadership and support to share and adapt resources across groups and sectors in communities to break down barriers and to work together in ways that ensure approaches are best suited to the culture and needs of people.

Collaboractively we can do better to be better helpers to each other!

For more information go to www.wakahourua.co.nz, www.teraumatatini.com and www.leva.co.nz.

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