Minister Launches New Pacific Mental Health Services
Minister Sio at the launch of the new Pacific mental health services with (L to R) Ministry of Health Group Manager - Primary and Community Wellbeing, Jo Chiplin; Vaka Tautua Regional Manager Auckland, Kristina Sofele; and Vaka Tautua Chief Executive Officer, Dr Amanda-Lanuola Dunlop.
New services for Pacific peoples experiencing mental distress were launched by Minister for Pacific Peoples and Associate Minister Health (Pacific Peoples), Hon Aupito Sio, at an event in Otahuhu today. The event was hosted by community provider, Fonua Ola, who will be delivering one of the new services, in the Counties Manukau District Health Board region.
Minister Sio addresses the guests at the launch of the new Pacific mental health services.
Expanding access to, and choice of, primary mental health and addictions services, is a flagship initiative for the Government and the cornerstone of the Wellbeing Budget 2019. The Ministry of Health invited proposals for culturally appropriate Pacific and Māori services in June 2020. Thirty-nine new services were confirmed in January 2021.
“This government committed… 455 million to increasing access to and choice of mental health and addictions service to facilitate mental wellbeing for all New Zealanders… with priority population groups such as our beautiful Pacific people,” said Minister Sio.
“It means there is targeted funding to expand and stand up new culturally appropriate services for Pacific peoples. And I am motivated by today to announce that today marks the start of some of these new services rolling out.”
Vaka Tautua was awarded two of the new Pacific services, and has been delivering Ola Fiafia in the Capital and Coast District Health Board (Wellington) region, and Ora’anga in the Auckland District Health Board region since March. Ora’anga is a partnership with its Pacific Consortium partners, South Seas Healthcare, Pacific Homecare and Penina Trust.
Chief Executive Officer, Dr Amanda-Lanuola Dunlop, spoke of the significance of these new services to Pacific peoples.
“Vaka Tautua, through our parent trust, Malologa Trust, has been delivering mental health services for Pacific peoples in the Auckland DHB area for 17 years, and in the Capital and Coast DHB area for 5 years… and in these regions, we are the only Pacific provider, and have only been funded to support our Pacific peoples in the clinical space with clinical mental illness… so there is a lot of unmet need out there in our communities,” said Dr Dunlop.
“These services not only mean we’ll be able to provide more services and support for our Pacific peoples, and to more of our people… but we’ll also be able to help our Pacific peoples be well and stay well at the early intervention end, so they don’t end up mentally unwell and needing clinical support.”
Chief Executive of Pasifika Futures Limited, Debbie Sorenson, whose organisation will be delivering a new service in Counties Manukau with The Fono, spoke of her forty-one year crusade for Pacific cultural mental health services.
“We know our Pacific approaches work… Today is a great start, but it is only the beginning,” said Ms Sorenson.
The services will run until 30 June 2022, at which time they will be reviewed and may be extended.
Vaka Tautua is a national Pacific health and social services provider with a strong regional presence in the greater Auckland, Wellington and Canterbury regions. It delivers disability, mental health, older peoples, social services and financial capability services.
If you are feeling stressed, worried or anxious, call: OLA FIAFIA (0800 652 342 342) if you live in Wellington or OLA LELEI (0800 652 535) if you live in Auckland
For all enquiries, please contact email comms@vakatautua.co.nz