KINGSTON, Jamaica— A virtual child and adolescent mental health round table, aimed at providing information and resources to help young people cope during the COVID-19 pandemic will be held tomorrow, May 27 from 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm.                       

The event is part of activities by the Nathan Ebanks Foundation for the seventh staging of National Child and Adolescent Mental Health Awareness Week from May 23 to May 27 under the theme ‘The Power of Play: Helping Children Cope in the COVID-19 Era’.                         

Communications and Liaison Director, National Child and Adolescent Mental Health Committee, Dr Michelle Campbell, in giving an overview of the round table, said that the objective is to “provide tools and resources to parents, caregivers and other stakeholders, to safeguard the mental health of our nation’s children and adolescents during this pandemic as now, more than ever, we must prioritise the mental health and well-being of our youths”.                  

She was speaking at the launch of the week of activities at the Eastwood Park New Testament Church of God, St Andrew, on May 23.

Facilitators for the round-table discussion include Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist, Dr Ganesh Shetty; International Speech and Language Pathologist from the United States, Erin Mercer; and Occupational Therapist from the United States, Jane Metz.                          

The discussion will explore the power of play through games and activities; how to support the mental health needs and well-being of children, adolescents and their families now and following the pandemic; how to provide help, further support and information are available; and connecting individuals to services for the early identification of mental health challenges and developmental disabilities.                       

Chief Executive Officer of the Child Protection and Family Services Agency (CPFSA) Rosalee Gage-Grey, in her remarks at the launch, cited statistics that show that an estimated 120,000 of the 800,000 children in Jamaica could be living with a mental illness.

“This is cause for concern,” she said, noting that the CPFSA “continues to demonstrate its commitment to building awareness about the importance of our children’s mental health, and is, therefore, pleased to partner with the Nathan Ebanks Foundation and its partners in drawing attention to this very important issue during the week”.

During the round table, participants will have access to a resource café where a number of stakeholders will be on hand to provide additional information and intervention.     

These include representatives from the Ministry of Health and Wellness, the Paediatric Association of Jamaica, the Jamaica Psychological Association, the National Parenting Support Commission, and child psychologists and family therapists from the Northern Caribbean University.

The event will be streamed live on NCMC’s YouTube and Facebook pages; JAMCAMH Facebook page, and Facebook @raisingspecialneeds.

JIS