The Maori mental health service got established to help mentally ill or drug addicted Maori in line with the Whanganui District Health Board's Maori health strategy.

The plan for 2010-11 sets its main goal in delivering equal health care and service to all Maori regardless if they live in the countryside or in big cities. Especially young Maori men are increasingly in need of care.

The plan involves a collaborative approach, linking the five major health providers with the DHB health service in order to guarantee primary care and help for mentally diseased patients.

A spokesperson of this new collaboration: "The objective is to support these people in their own communities rather than turn to secondary health providers. If they need to be in Te Awhina (Wanganui Hospital) of course they will go there but we're trying to keep them in their own community".

Nevertheless, the service should not just be available for Maori but anybody who chooses to make use of it.

The number of Maori who are working within health care should also increase, according to the DHB, by improving educational possibilities for young Maoris and increase their chances to step into the health care sector.