Clinician beliefs and practices related to increasing responsivity to the needs of Māori with alcohol and drug problems

Culturally responsive treatments are often cited as essential for successfully addressing substance use-associated problems in indigenous and other ethnic groups. However, there has been little investigation of the support for this assertion among alcohol and drug-user treatment workers, or how it might translate into clinical practice. The current paper reports on the results of a survey of the New Zealand alcohol and drug-user treatment field, which canvassed these issues. Eighty-six percent of respondents advocated adjustment of clinical practice when working with Māori. Two key strategies were referral to specialist Māori groups or individuals and/or contacting/meeting with whānau (family). Comparisons were made between respondents who referred clients on and those who provided intervention themselves. Implications of results, limitations and future research are discussed.