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Māori mental health
The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP) prioritises the achievement of high quality mental health outcomes for Māori. It promotes and advocates for the rights of Māori to culturally appropriate, accessible and effective psychiatric care.
Our commitment to Māori mental health
This page provides information and resources to support mental health service delivery and appropriate assessment practices for Māori. They are intended for use by the Māori mental health workforce, as well as individuals, families and whānau.
Our Te Kaunihera mō ngā kaupapa Hauora Hinengaro Māori
Te Kaunihera mo ngā kaupapa Hauora Hinengaro Māori (Te Kaunihera) is a constituent committee of the RANZCP’s Practice, Policy and Partnerships Committee.
It provides the RANZCP with advice on issues relating to Māori, including clinical practice and psychiatry training, and advocates for the mental health of Māori. It also supports the recruitment of Māori doctors into psychiatry.
The committee is made up of Māori community members who have involvement in mental health service provision and policy development, as well as psychiatrists and trainees with direct experience of working in Māori mental health.
Cultural competency
Strengthening the cultural competency of the Māori mental health workforce in Aotearoa New Zealand is a key area of focus for the RANZCP.
Assessment of cultural competence is included in the training of psychiatrists, as is an understanding of the role of Te Tiriti o Waitangi (the Treaty of Waitangi), and how its core principles of participation, partnership and protection should be integrated into mental health services.
A range of different organisations also produce resources to help doctors build their cultural competency.
The Medical Council of New Zealand
The Medical Council of New Zealand (MCNZ) regulates the cultural competence criteria [PDF; 1 MB] which specialist medical education programs must meet, and provides resources on cultural competence for its members.
- Best health outcomes for Māori: Practice implications [PDF; 3.5 MB]
- Best practices when providing care to Māori patients and their whānau [PDF; 108 KB]
The New Zealand Psychologists Board
The New Zealand Psychologists Board Core Competencies For the Practice of Psychology in New Zealand [PDF; 312 KB] contains useful information on cultural competency and applying the principles of the Tiriti o Waitangi in mental health service delivery.
Mauriora Health Education
The Mauriora website offers free and paid online training courses on cultural competence, Māori healthcare, and the Te Tiriti o Waitangi. It also has a course on Māori healthcare and the Te Tiriti o Waitangi for overseas-trained doctors.
Please note that these online courses are not RANZCP endorsed or endorsed for RANZCP CPD points.
Current initiatives
RANZCP Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander and Māori Trainee Financial Support Initiative
Up to A$6,000/calendar year is available to assist with the costs of specialist training (e.g. RANZCP training fees, assessment fees, attending conferences) and other activities to achieve Fellowship.
Clinical practice
RANZCP Clinical Practice Guidelines
The RANZCP’s Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPGs) are a suite of practical resources for psychiatrists and other mental health clinicians which draw on the latest international evidence-based practice. The CPGs provide guidance on appropriate mental health treatment options in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand.
RANZCP Clinical Practice Guidelines
Health strategy
The New Zealand Ministry of Health has produced a range of documents relating to Māori and mental health strategy.
Māori health strategy
- He Korowai Oranga: Māori Health Strategy
The New Zealand Ministry of Health's overarching Māori Health Strategy. - Equity of Health Care for Māori: A framework
A framework to guide health practitioners, health organisations and the health system to achieve equitable health care for Māori. - Tatau Kahukura Māori Health Chart Book 2015 [PDF; 2 MB]
Statistics on the health of Māori compared with non-Māori.
Mental health strategy
- Rising to the Challenge: The Mental Health and Addiction Service Development Plan 2012–2017
The direction for mental health and addiction service delivery across the health sector for 2012–2017, including key priority actions. - https://www.health.govt.nz/publication/te-rau-hinengaro-new-zealand-mental-health-survey
A survey measuring the prevalence of mental disorders across the whole Aotearoa New Zealand population. Chapter nine covers findings on Māori.
Support and engagement with family and whānau
The RANZCP values the contribution that all people with lived experience of mental illness make to improving the quality of mental health care. Carers and the wider whānau (family) play a crucial role in supporting the treatment and recovery of Māori with mental illness, including creating an environment which is culturally safe.
