Published 10 April 2017
Basseterre, St. Kitts, April 07, 2017 (SKNIS): The Ministry of Health is aggressively implementing programmes to assist persons in the Federation who are affected by mental illness, including not-so-obvious forms such as depression.
“Government recognizes that mental illness happens to anyone, at any time,” stated the Honourable Senator Wendy Phipps, Junior Minister of Health during her address to observe World Health Day 2017, today Friday April 7th. She spoke of the soon-to-open Mental Health Day Clinic which is only Phase One of a two-tiered approach to treat mental illness.
Phase two of the project will see the construction of a Half-way House for persons recovering from mental illness. This will allow these persons to be semi-independent, have housing and earn a living in preparation to reintegrate into society.
Senator Phipps commended the ongoing support from key stakeholder groups, notably the Mental Health Association. “The respective individual and partnership approaches of these mental health stakeholder groups in the Federation are greatly appreciated,” she added.
Mental Health is a growing concern in our Federation, and the government recognizes the importance of mental health and hopes that this facility with be a stepping stone to providing rehabilitative care and services to affected persons.
