KINGSTON, Jamaica – The Government will be seeking the input of all stakeholders as it develops an inclusive mental health policy for children and adolescents, says Minister of Education and Youth, Fayval Williams.

She noted that the contributions of the young people will help to construct a more robust and comprehensive approach to mental health.

“The road map we set in motion today will be the guiding light as we navigate the path to policy formulation. Together we will steer the course towards a healthier mental landscape for Jamaica’s youth,” Minister Williams said.

She was addressing the National Youth Mental Health Summit held at the AC Hotel by Marriott in Kingston on Thursday.

The summit was hosted in partnership with UNICEF and the Jamaica Advocacy Youth Network (JAYAN) and followed the observance of World Mental Health Day on October 10.

Approximately 100 students, representing various high schools across the island, attended the two-day event, where they were actively engaged in discussions aimed at improving access to mental health services for the youth in Jamaica.

The session, which commenced on Wednesday, also provided evidence-based perspectives on the mental health issues faced by children and adolescents.

Minister Williams highlighted measures being taken by the Government to provide mental health services to students, including the launch of the School Mental Health Literacy Programme in October 2022, which facilitated the training of more than 500 school professionals over a three-month period.

They, in turn, have trained others who have been imparting the learning to more than 21,000 grade nine students across 177 schools islandwide.

Williams also noted that the Guidance and Counselling Unit in the ministry coordinates the training and development of counsellors in schools and is responsible for several programmes, including the Health and Family Life Education (HFLE), and other initiatives aimed at improving students personally and socially.

She noted that there is an urgent need for more resources to assist young people who suffer from mental health challenges.

Citing the 2017 Global School Health Survey, she said that one in every four students, aged 13 to 17 years, had considered suicide.

“Many of our young people face considerable mental health challenges, and addressing these concerns is not just an option but an imperative. To fully unlock the potential of our young population, we must confront these issues collectively and decisively,” she said.

Minister Williams noted, further, that the State of the World’s Children 2021 report indicated that one in seven children and adolescents in Latin America and the Caribbean have a mental disorder.

“With the lingering stigma around mental health, we cannot be complacent in addressing these issues. Indeed, that report (State of the World’s Children) said that in Jamaica, 16 ½ per cent of adolescents live with a diagnosed mental health disorder. There is, therefore, an urgent need to provide the resources to help our young people face these challenges,” she said.

UNICEF is working with Jamaica’s Education and Health and Wellness Ministries to formulate a National Policy on Child and Adolescent Mental Health.

UNICEF Jamaica Deputy Representative, Mohammad Mohiuddin, noted that mental health remains a global priority of the agency.

He said the summit represents a pivotal moment in the commitment to prioritise the mental well-being of young Jamaicans.

“UNICEF recognises that addressing mental health is not only a public health issue but a matter of rights for children and adolescents. Every child has the right to enjoy the highest attainable level of mental health, free from stigma and discrimination,” Mohiuddin noted.

“UNICEF will continue to stand beside the Government of Jamaica and other stakeholders to ensure that children and young people have improved access to quality health services,” he pledged.

Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr Christopher Tufton, for his part, pointed out that stigma, discrimination and fear of being ostracised have led to many young people suffering in silence.

“Today, we must be bold; we must be brave. We must confront the realities of mental illness and we must listen to our young people and have their participation in ways to reach the wider community,” Tufton charged.

– JIS