Te Ara Waiora a Tāne: a kaupapa Māori mental-health assessment and intervention planning approach.

Objective: The aims of this paper are to describe a Maori approach to assessment and intervention planning using the Maori creation narrative Te Ara a Tane (The Journey of Tane) and to outline an evaluation one year after the model was implemented. Conclusions: Te Ara Waiora a Tane is a kaupapa Maori (Maori-centred) mental-health engagement, assessment, goal setting and planning approach designed to enhance the mana (spiritual and personal authority) of whanau (individuals and family/families) at the point they enter a Maori service and during ongoing mental-health work. Preliminary evaluation indicated that staff considered the model user-friendly and helpful for whanau. Further evaluation is needed to assess the impact of this approach on Maori whanau engagement with services.