Our Research

This comprehensive project involves the creation, implementation, and evaluation of MAPS in the mental health settings of Te Whatu Ora Lakes and Te Whatu Ora Waikato. This project is funded by the Health Research Council (March 2023-February 2026.

Practice change in the form of MAPS facilitating pre-event planning as a supported decision-making mechanism will likely lead to improvements in health and equity and possibly other social, economic, and cultural benefits for Aotearoa. Through their extensive existing links, relationships, and/or networks, the research team will undertake the translation of the research from outputs to impact by encouraging system-wide utilisation, uptake, adoption, and implementation of the research findings to enable local, regional, and national impact.

International treaties and guidelines, domestic codes of rights, and He Ara Oranga (the government inquiry into mental health and addiction) require substitute decision-making to be replaced with supported decision-making (where individuals are supported to make their own mental health decisions based on their will and preferences) in law and mental health practice. Substitute decision-making in the form of compulsory treatment causes and compounds distress, harm, and inequities, particularly for Māori. Our activation grant research identified proactive pre-event planning/post-event briefing as the most important potential form of supported decision-making for Māori. Mental Health Advance Preference Statements (MAPS) are tools that facilitate pre-event planning. Pilot work over the last six years with the Southern District Health Board has demonstrated MAPS have promise as a supported decision-making intervention.

This proposed research encapsulates a comprehensive project of creation, implementation, and evaluation of MAPS in the mental health settings of Te Whatu Ora Lakes and Te Whatu Ora Waikato. We will use the constitution model outlined in He Puapua as an overarching structure to ensure our research is Te Tiriti o Waitangi-led, upholds UN treaties and is in step with co-governance practices for the health sector. To apply our Te Tiriti o Waitangi-led approach, our design is multi-dimensional. We identify the research approach as Māori-centred and co-produced. Phase 1 will involve the generation of both Maōri-specific and general models of MAPS. Phase 2 will use action research, informed by change theory, to complete the evaluation and iterations of the implementation of the suite of resources. Phase 3 will involve a mixed methods impact evaluation of MAPS, focusing on health, equity, social and cultural benefits.

The project is guided by the constitutional model set out in He Puapua, thus ensuring research which is Te Tiriti o Waitangi-led, upholds UN treaties, and is in step with co-governance for the health sector. He Puapua provides a roadmap for Aotearoa to fully realise the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People (UNDRIP). He Puapua draws on Matike Mai to conceptualise Te Tiriti o Waitangi relationships in constitutional terms, outlining three spheres of influence over decision-making: Tino Rangatiratanga, Kāwanatanga, and Relational. The Tino Rangatiratanga sphere includes Māori governance over people and places. The Kāwanatanga sphere represents Crown governance. An overlapping and larger Relational sphere reflects the space where Māori and the Crown join in decision-making over mutual concerns. In this research, our governance and teams have been shaped by this constitutional model. We have been influenced by the innovative anti-racism research programme developed by Came, Kidd, and McCreanor, which has guided how we hold together diverse teams, designs, and methods of the project. You can read more about this in our full research protocol here.

Project Governance

A governance committee that sits independently of the research team provides additional layers of support. This is a group of people with the expertise to mirror the three-sphere model. The governance committee acts as additional checks and balances to ensure we get things tika or ‘right’ across all phases of the project and stay true to the three spheres of influence articulated in He Puapua and Matike Mai.

Current members include:

Hori Kingi, Te Awhi, Waikato and Te Kete Pounamu
Kiri Prentice, Māori Minds
Jordy Bealing, Te Aka Whai Ora/Māori Health Authority
Hannah Whittaker-Komatsu, Manatū Hauora/Ministry of Health
Guy Baker, Te Hiringa Mahara/Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission
Aroha Metcalf, Te Aka Whai Ora/Māori Health Authority

Project leadership

Sarah Gordon

Ngāti Pākehā

Co-Principal Investigator

University of Otago Wellington

Sarah has experience using services and is a service user academic with a background in law, ethics, and psychological medicine. Sarah is one of the co-first named investigators on this project. She has joint overarching responsibility for all aspects of the project as well as joint responsibility for leading the Kāwanatanga and Relational spheres of the He Puapua and Matike Mai overarching structure of the project. She also has responsibility for the mentoring of junior researchers.

Johnnie Potiki

Kāi Tahu ratou ko Kāti Māmoe ko Waitaha

Co-Principal Investigator

Te Whatu Ora Southern

Johnnie has a deep understanding of and commitment to Te Ao Māori, has used services as tāngata whaiora, and works in mental health services as a consumer advisor to Te Whatu Ora Southern. He works with Armon Tamatea to ensure that the project can deliver its intended objectives regarding Māori health advancement. As such, he has joint overarching responsibility for all aspects of the project as well as joint responsibility for the Tino Rangatiratanga and Relational spheres of the He Puapua and Matike Mai overarching structure of the project. He informs and supports the non-Māori members of the team to develop their capabilities to contribute to Māori health advancement. He is also particularly responsible for encouraging the utilisation, uptake, adoption, and implementation of the research through his extensive networks.

Armon Tamatea

Rongowhakāta, Te Aitanga-A-Māhaki

Co-Principal Investigator

University of Waikato

Armon is a clinical and academic psychologist, with a deep understanding of and commitment to Te Ao Māori, Kaupapa Māori theory and application in research practice, with an academic focus on Māori mental health/wellbeing and bicultural practices. He works with Johnnie to ensure that the project can deliver its intended objectives regarding Māori health advancement. As such, he has joint overarching responsibility for all aspects of the project as well as joint responsibility for the Tino Rangatiratanga and Relational spheres of the He Puapua and Matariki Mai overarching structure of the project. He informs and supports the non-Māori members of the team to develop their capabilities to contribute to Māori health advancement. He mentors the junior Māori researchers.

Katey Thom

Ngāti Pākehā

Co-Principal Investigator

Auckland University of Technology

Katey is a social science researcher who researches and teaches on the nexus between law and mental health. She has joint overarching responsibility for all aspects of the project as well as joint responsibility for leading the Kāwanatanga and Relational spheres of the He Puapua and Matike Mai overarching structure of the project. She also has responsibility for the mentoring of junior researchers.

Project management

Rachel Tester

Ngāti Pākehā

Project Manager, overall project

Rachel is an experienced project manager and researcher. She is the academic-based project manager/researcher, supporting the leads with the implementation and/or organisation of the planning, scheduling, administration, communication, and personnel management of the project in order to ensure it is delivered on time, on budget, and within scope. The research component of this role involves support with data management, analysis, and write-up.

Maryanne Richardson

Ngāti Pākehā

Project Manager, Lakes team

Maryanne is an experienced qualitative evaluator and has lived experience of using mental health services. She worked for 10 years as a consumer evaluator/lead evaluator with Counties Manukau Health now Te Whatu Ora – Counties Manukau evaluating mental health services and developing recommendations for service improvement. She is the Project Manager for Te Whatu Ora – Lakes project team managing the design, implementation and evaluation of MAPS.

Debbie Goodwin

Ngai Tūhoe, Whakatōhea, Pākehā

Project Manager, Waikato team

Debbie is a Māori evaluation researcher and has worked in her own consultancy since 2007. Debbie has a PhD in kaupapa Māori evaluation in co-design settings and also has twenty-plus years’ experience in community development, leadership and management, working in DHB, kaupapa Māori and youth mental health settings. She has a particular focus on how communities and whānau are supported on the ground. As a Māori researcher Debbie is cognisant of the issues related to Te Tiriti o Waitangi and research with Māori, Iwi, hapū and whānau and is passionate about Māori development. She supports the Waikato project team in the implementation of this research.

Academic Team

The role of the project academic team, in addition to specific areas of expertise, is to support publications, conferences and dissemination of the project resources.

Giles Newton-Howes

Ngāti Pākeha

University of Otago Wellington

Giles is a senior practicing clinical and academic psychiatrist. He has high-level input into the project from the perspective of a senior clinical and academic psychiatrist. This high-level input particularly includes encouraging the utilisation, uptake, adoption, and implementation of the research through clinical networks; and the mentoring of junior members of the research team.

Jessie Lenagh-Glue

Ngāti Pākehā

University of Otago Dunedin

Jessie is a legal scholar whose research has focussed on mental health and ethical issues. Jessie contributes to providing each of the localities with support in the design and implementation phases of the project and having significant input into data collection, analysis and reporting.

Tony O'Brien

Ngāti Pākehā

University of Waikato

Tony is a senior clinical and academic nurse. He has high-level input into the project from the perspective of a senior clinical and academic nurse and experience with the Te Whatu Ora Southern MAPS project. This high-level input particularly includes encouraging the utilisation, uptake, adoption, and implementation of the research through clinical networks; and the mentoring of junior members of the research team.

Paul Glue

Ngāti Pākehā

University of Otago Dunedin

Paul is a senior practicing clinical and academic psychiatrist. He has high-level input into the project from the perspective of a senior clinical and academic psychiatrist, and experience with the Te Whatu Ora Southern MAPS project. This high-level input particularly includes encouraging the utilisation, uptake, adoption, and implementation of the research through clinical networks; and the mentoring of junior members of the research team.

Kris Gledhill

Ngāti Pākehā

Auckland University of Technology

Kris is an academic lawyer who has published on human rights law and mental health law. He has high-level input into the project from the perspective of a legal academic. He also has responsibility for mentoring junior members of the research team.

Tony Dowell

Ngāti Pākeha

University of Otago Wellington

Tony is a senior practising clinical and academic General Practitioner. He is overseeing the implementation science aspect of the project.

James Stanley

Ngāti Pākehā

University of Otago Wellington

Jame is currently the Director of the Biostatistical Group for the University of Otago Wellington campus. He is a named investigator, overseeing the data management, analysis, and write-up of quantitative data.

Lakes Team

Te Whatu Ora Lakes is partnering with the leadership and academic team to co-design, implement and evaluate the use of MAPS. Their team is supported by Maryanne Richardson as project manager and key liaison with the leadership team. We also acknowledged the role that Malachi Ropata (Ngāti Rangi Ki Ruapehu, Te Ati Haunui- A Pāpārangi, Ngāti Raukawa, Ngāti Toa Rangatira) and Marlane Sherborne (Ngāti Pākehā) played in the project before their departure from Te Whatu Ora Lakes.

Constance Jefferson

Ngāti Pākehā

Whānau/family advisor

Constance comes from a youth perspective and has experience using services and applying that experience to inform projects including a co-designed rebuild of the inpatient unit in this region. She is part of the Te Whatu Ora Lakes project team managing the design, implementation and evaluation of MAPS with that service. She is also part of the wider team, involved in the high-level planning, designing, and undertaking of the research and then the encouraging and supporting of uptake and translation.

Joanna Price

Ngāti Rangitihi

Clinical nurse director

Joanna is the clinical nurse director and director of area mental health service with Te Whatu Ora Lakes. She is part of the Te Whatu Ora Lakes project team managing the design, implementation and evaluation of MAPS with that service. She is also part of the wider team, involved in the high-level planning, designing, and undertaking of the research and then the encouraging and supporting of uptake and translation.

Heather Chase

Ngāti Pākehā

Clinical nurse specialist

Wi Te Tau Kahutapere Huata

Ngāti Kahungunu

Consumer advisor

Wi has a deep understanding of and commitment to Te Ao Māori, has used services as tāngata whaiora and whānau and works in mental health services as a family/whānau advisor to Te Whatu Ora Lakes. He is part of the Te Whatu Ora Lakes project team managing the design, implementation and evaluation of Mental Health Advance Preference Statements with that service. He is also part of the wider team, involved in the high-level planning, designing, and undertaking of the research and then the encouraging and supporting of uptake and translation.

Waikato Team

Te Whatu Ora Waikato is partnering with the leadership and academic team to co-design, implement and evaluate the use of MAPS. Their team is supported by Debbie Goodwin as project manager and key liaison with the leadership team

Suzette Poole

Ngāti Pākehā

Nurse Director

Suzette is the Kaiwhakahaere Neehi-nurse director with Te Whatu Ora Waikato. She is part of the Te Whatu Ora Waikato project team managing the design, implementation and evaluation of MAPS with that service. She is also part of the wider team, involved in the high-level planning, designing, and undertaking of the research and then the encouraging and supporting of uptake and translation.

Wheeti Maipi

Waikato Tainui

Whānau/family advisor

Wheeti has a deep understanding and commitment to Te Ao Māori and is a whānau advisor with Te Whatu Ora Waikato. He is part of the Te Whatu Ora Waikato project team managing the design, implementation and evaluation of MAPS with that service. He is also part of the wider team, involved in the high-level planning, designing, and undertaking of the research and then the encouraging and supporting of uptake and translation.

Areann Libline

Ngāti Pākehā

Clinical nurse specialist

Areann is a clinical nurse specialist with Te Whatu Ora Waikato. She is a named investigator as part of the Te Whatu Ora Waikato project team managing the design, implementation and evaluation of Mental Health Advance Preference Statements with that service. She is also part of the wider team, involved in the high-level planning, designing, and undertaking of the research and then the encouraging and supporting of uptake and translation.

Dave Austin

Ngāti Rangitihi

Lived experience community development advisor

Dave is a lived experience mental health and addiction advocate, survivor and Lived Experience Community Development Advisor with Te Whatu Ora Waikato. He is a named investigator as part of the Te Whatu Ora Waikato project team managing the design, implementation and evaluation of MAPS with that service. He is also part of the wider team, involved in the high-level planning, designing, and undertaking of the research and then the encouraging and supporting of uptake and translation.

Dave Snell

Ngāti Pākehā

Lived experience community development advisor

Dave is a service user, social psychologist, and Lived Experience Community Development Advisor with Te Whatu Ora Waikato. He is part of the Te Whatu Ora Waikato project team managing the design, implementation and evaluation of MAPS with that service. He is also part of the wider team, involved in the high-level planning, designing, and undertaking of the research and then the encouraging and supporting of uptake and translation.

Rees Tapsell

Ngāti Whakaue

Director of clinical services

Rees is the director of clinical services and director of area mental health services for Te Whatu Ora Waikato, a senior psychiatrist, with experience as a whānau member of someone with lived experience, a deep understanding of and commitment to Te Ao Māori, and research experience. He is part of the Te Whatu Ora Waikato project team managing the design, implementation and evaluation of MAPS with that service. He is also part of the wider team, involved in the high-level planning, designing, and undertaking of the research and then the encouraging and supporting of uptake and translation.

Our Research

Project Governance

Project leadership

Sarah Gordon

Johnnie Potiki

Armon Tamatea

Katey Thom

Project management

Rachel Tester

Maryanne Richardson

Debbie Goodwin

Academic Team

Lakes Team

Waikato Team

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