TRYALL, Hanover — Despite transitioning from being a rehabilitation facility to a foundation that helps train mental health employees, the Committee for the Upliftment of the Mentally Ill (CUMI) remains committed in its focus.

“We have closed our day rehabilitation centre. We closed that back on the 16th of May. We have re-homed or re-instituted the few clients that we had there and now CUMI is operating as a foundation,” explained chair of the charity organisation Catherine DeLisser.

She was speaking last Saturday after the wrap-up of CUMI’s yearly charity golf tournament held at Tryall Golf Club.

“This is where the money that we’ve raised from the charity golf tournament will go into…Our reach is now further,” DeLisser declared.

CUMI originally ran a facility at Brandon Hill in the western city, providing daily care for individuals with mental issues. The organisation rose to national fame in 1999 when it raised an alarm that almost 40 homeless people in Montego Bay had been rounded up from the city’s streets and abandoned in St Elizabeth, perilously close to a bauxite mud lake.

Over the years CUMI has made a name for itself as a staunch advocate and protector of the mentally ill, providing meals and medication. However, according to DeLisser, rising costs and other challenges have made them take a decision to pivot in an effort to provide support in a more substantial way.

“We felt that by doing this, we can have a further reach, a greater reach, by helping people to qualify for psychiatric nursing or mental health nursing, things like that,” she explained.

DeLisser said since the change in course, CUMI has already provided support to individuals who reached out for assistance.

“We’ve already awarded two registered nurses who want to do another year and qualify as psychiatric nurses,” she said.

“We have awarded them the funds that will go towards the payment of their [fees for] qualifications as mental health nurses or psychiatric nurses,” DeLisser added.

She is now urging individuals to reach out through the CUMI website to see if they also qualify for support.

“We have an application form online and anybody who wants grant funding for anything to do with mental health in St James can apply. Fill out the application form online and apply to CUMI for funding,” she urged.

According to DeLisser, the CUMI board will do the selection based on an assessment of applications submitted. She said the board consists of a mental health doctor, nurses and other individuals who interview applicants as part of the process.

She expressed joy at the continued support the foundation has received through its annual charity golf tournament.

“It’s wonderful; each year you do this and people come out to support you,” said DeLisser.

She praised sponsors for their continued support.

“We had JMMB, Stewart’s Automotive Group, sponsoring the hole-in-one [prize which was] the Mercedes-Benz. BCIC, GraceKennedy Insurance, Advantage General Insurance, Rainforest were our big sponsors and we have Worthy Park that has come on board for the first time, sponsoring.

“Fontana, the S Hotel, ICWI Insurance, Wata, Boomerang Tyres, Discount Hardware and those are just our monetary sponsors,” DeLisser added.

More than 50 individuals turned out to play a round of golf at the Tryall Golf Course to raise funds for the charitable cause.

Players Keith Stein (left) and Radcliffe Knibbs (right) share a laugh with Sandals CFO Conor Lawler after collecting the top team honours at the Tryall-CUMI Charity Golf Tournament.

Director of Golf at Tryall Ewan Peebles makes notes about the scores on the tally board during last Saturday’s Tryall-CUMI Charity Golf Tournament.