(Picture caption: Minister for Pacific Peoples Hon Barbara Edmonds addresses attendees at the Pasifika Futures Whānau Ora Conference.)
Sourced from Pasifika Futures Ltd
The Pacific Mental Health Commissioner has been launched at the Pasifika Futures (PFL) Whānau Ora Conference, in Auckland.
The initiative will be delivered through PFL's Ngalu Fānifo mental health service and has been established with the purpose of improving mental health and well-being outcomes for Pacific people, families, and communities.
Pasifika Medical Association (PMA) and PFL Chief Executive Officer Debbie Sorensen says the Pacific Mental Health Commissioner serves a wider purpose of providing access to mental health services for Pacific communities.
"What we know is that Pacific people have poor access to mental health services, and we continue to identify challenges faced by our communities,” Debbie says.
“Mental health in a Pacific context is not being catered to by mainstream mental health services and we see a high need for this to be addressed.”
She adds the Pacific Mental Health Commissioner is a pivotal piece of work for communities especially considering the lack of investment in the Pacific mental health and well-being workforce.
There are five key priorities for the Commissioner, she continues.
"The priorities for the Pacific Mental Health Commissioner are to invest in people, in services, in gathering evidence, and in our most vulnerable and partnerships.
"As an organisation, we have trained 2,202 Pacific Primary Mental Health workers to date.
“The Commissioner is an opportunity for us to continue stressing the importance of delivering mental health support, with Pacific ideologies, values and our families at the core of our work,” Debbie says.
The two-day conference saw PFL's partners from across the country gather together to connect and talanoa about their work in serving Pacific families.
The theme for the conference was Kaveinga nako'anga Ou – Navigating New Waters, reflecting the challenges Pacific families are struggling with due to the ongoing impact of COVID-19 and the escalating costs of living.
Sharing our future visions for Pacific primary care and mental health; examining how we strengthen our practice using education, sports and culture; and learning from each other about how we can better support our Pacific aiga were all discussed at the conference.
Pacific Mental Health Commissioner
Trustees
Dr Etuini Ma’u – Consultant Psychogeriatrician, Waikato District Health Board
Abel Smith – Psychiatric Nurse, Director Pacific Workforce, Te Whatu Ora
Dr Sione Vaka – Associate Professor, The University of Waikato
Dr David Tan – Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist
Debbie Sorensen – Chief Executive Officer, Pasifika Medical Association
Regional Advisors
Dr Jimmy Obed – Psychiatrist, Vanuatu
Tuifagatoa Dr George Leao-Tuitama – Psychiatrist, Samoa
Dr Evangelene Daniela-Wong – Psychologist, Cook Islands
Metua
Dr Francis Agnew – Senior Psychiatrist