Genevieve Simpson is a passionate advocate for equitable mental health services in Aotearoa. A solo mother to two teenage daughters, she recently graduated with a Bachelor of Bicultural Social Work from Te Wānanga o Aotearoa. Her journey into this field was profoundly shaped by the tragic loss of her brother, whose experience with mental health services revealed systemic gaps that she is determined to address.

Supported by a Māori Health Leadership Scholarship from Te Rau Ora, Genevieve's focus is to ensure health and wellbeing services are funded and designed to meet the needs of whānau. For the past seven years, she has worked in community mental health and addictions with the Wise Trust Group, a leading provider of mental health services in New Zealand. She also co-manages a support group for those bereaved by suicide, guiding whānau through the mental health and coronial systems.

Genevieve actively contributes to systemic improvements through her involvement with the Manatū Hauora Ministry of Health Suicide Prevention Office. She is part of a coronial design group seeking to ease the challenges whānau face in coronial inquests. Her latest initiative is developing a bicultural grief model that weaves Western and Mātauranga Māori perspectives to better support Māori in processing grief.

Currently, Genevieve serves as a mental health clinician at Te Whatu Ora Waikato in Hauraki, where she feels privileged to work for her whānau, hapū, and iwi in secondary mental health services. Recognising the barriers Māori whānau often face, such as negative past experiences or the dominance of Western medical models, Genevieve bridges these gaps by integrating Mātauranga Māori and medical frameworks.

Of both Māori and European descent, Genevieve navigates both worlds with ease, fostering trust and collaboration with Māori whānau. Her approach encourages whānau to fully engage in their recovery journey, empowering them through culturally grounded care.

Genevieve also remains deeply involved in suicide prevention, running support groups and providing education to whānau. With the alarming rise in Māori suicide rates, she plans to establish a new support group in Hauraki to address this urgent issue.

Beyond her clinical work, Genevieve is an active participant in Waitangi Tribunal claims on health services, outcomes, and criminal and civil justice kaupapa. Her advocacy ensures Māori health equity and fair treatment within the justice system, reinforcing her commitment to transformative change for Māori.

Genevieve’s dedication and ability to blend cultural knowledge with professional expertise make her a powerful advocate for Māori health and wellbeing.

Link:

• Her brother’s keeper