A leading Māori health provider is warning that Māori and Pacific young people continue to be underserved by Aotearoa’s mental health system, with services often failing to reflect their lived experiences, cultural realities and whānau needs.
Carole Koha, Pou Kaihautu of Te Waka Whaiora in Porirua, says urgent action is needed to ensure rangatahi Māori and Pacific youth are properly prioritised as mental health challenges continue to grow.
Koha says many young people are facing increasing pressures linked to poverty, housing insecurity, family stress, social isolation, substance use, racism and the ongoing impacts of intergenerational trauma. These challenges are contributing to rising levels of anxiety, depression and psychological distress among Māori and Pacific communities.
Despite growing demand, Koha says many existing services remain difficult to access and are often designed around models that do not adequately reflect Māori and Pacific worldviews.
She says young people and their whānau frequently encounter barriers including long wait times, a shortage of culturally competent practitioners and services that focus on individuals rather than the wider family and community networks that play a critical role in wellbeing.
Te Waka Whaiora is calling for greater investment in kaupapa Māori and Pacific-led services that place culture, identity, language, whakapapa and community connections at the centre of care.
Koha says culturally grounded approaches have consistently demonstrated positive outcomes because they build trust and create environments where young people feel understood, valued and supported.
She believes successful solutions already exist within communities but require sustainable funding and long-term commitment to meet demand and expand their reach.
The organisation is also calling on government and health agencies to take immediate action by increasing support for Māori and Pacific providers, growing the culturally diverse workforce, reducing barriers to access and ensuring mental health policies are shaped in partnership with the communities most affected.
Koha says addressing inequities in mental health outcomes requires more than short-term initiatives and must involve a fundamental commitment to delivering services that genuinely meet the needs of Māori and Pacific rangatahi.
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