Funding for the Māori Health Omicron Outbreak Response

An additional $29.6 million has been allocated to support Māori health and disability providers to extend the reach of their services for whānau in response to the COVID-19 Omicron outbreak. This funding is part of a larger $140 million package allocated to support the Māori and Pacific Omicron response. This includes support for Whānau Ora Commissioning Agencies, Māori Communities COVID-19 Fund, and Pacific Aotearoa Community Outreach Initiative.

More information is available about this funding: Govt ensures extra support for Māori and Pacific Omicron response.

The purpose of this funding is to support Māori health and disability providers to increase capacity and capability of their COVID-19 operations to ensure whānau have improved access to health services and continuity of care in the community setting. This funding works alongside Care in the Community to ensure services are integrated and whānau centred at the regional level.

Funding for Māori health and disability providers will increase their capacity and capability to deliver services to meet the needs of Māori communities as part of the Care in the Community operating model. Focus areas for this funding include:

1. increasing free or low-cost health consultations, extending service hours, outreach services particularly for vaccination, testing, mental health support and services for tāngata whaikaha and tangata whaiora
2. coordination, kaiāwhina navigation, tailored communication and service integration within Care in the Community operating model to ensure integration of services regionally with other health and social services as appropriate
3. additional staff costs including further training, re-qualifying of staff who can re-join the workforce easily, back up arrangements to ensure services can be maintained throughout the Omicron response and vaccination efforts
4. other operating costs to support their workforce with safety and wellbeing

In recognition of the current COVID-19 services underway, the Ministry will distribute funding to Māori health and disability providers who have demonstrated their ability to support the COVID-19 response through a streamlined funding process including where possible through variation of existing contracts.

If you wish to enquire about this funding, please email covidmaorihealthgrants@health.govt.nz