Brandi Hudson, Te Tumu Whakarae of the Te Tiratū Iwi Māori Partnership Board, is calling for urgent improvements to mental health services for rangatahi Māori, particularly in rural Waikato.
Speaking in an interview with Waatea News, Hudson says current funding and policy fail to meet the needs of Māori youth, with many rural whānau having to accept under-resourced services as normal. While initiatives like the Pou Wai Project and Hauora Waikato have shown success, they struggle to attract skilled staff and need more support to expand.
“There’s a real need for policy and investment that prioritises rurally based programmes designed and delivered by Māori, for Māori,” Hudson says, stressing that one-size-fits-all approaches won’t address the unique challenges of rural communities.