An experienced addiction worker says working with whanau in a Maori way is a key factor behind a success rehabilitation scheme in Taitokerau.
Ngati Hine Health Trust clinical lead Pam Armstrong helped set up Te Ara Oranga, which brings together police, health and welfare providers and communities to ensure people struggling with methamphetamine programmes are brought into treatment programmes and stay on them.
A new report by the Drug Foundation and the Helen Clark says it should be used as the model for services around the country.
Ms Armstrong says about half the addicts in her region are Maori and they need treatments that acknowledge that.
“Cultural modalities play a strong role in the recovery for our Maoir people, so that ability to uphold tino rangatiratanga, that allows people to choose what’s most appropriate for themselves,” she says.
Since 2017 police have referred 1001 people to Te Ara Oranga, more than 11,000 people have been screened in emergency departments, 931 have been referred to one-day choice programmes, 842 whanau have been supported and 240 people have been referred to jobs.
