KSAMC Stages Wellness Day of Care for the Homeless on October 10

The Kingston and St. Andrew Municipal Corporation (KSAMC) will be hosting a Wellness Day of Care for the Homeless on Thursday (October 10), at the Marie Atkins Night Shelter, 65 Hanover Street, downtown Kingston.

The event, under the theme ‘Advocate, Rehabilitate, Reintegrate… The Journey Home’, is in observance of World Homeless Day.

“Homelessness continues to be a major concern and is one of the main responsibilities of the KSMAC,” said Mayor of Kingston, Councillor Andrew Swaby.

He was addressing the monthly meeting of the KSAMC held on Tuesday (October 8) at the organisation’s headquarters in downtown Kingston.

Organised by the Poor Relief Department, in collaboration with key partners, the day of care will highlight the KSAMC’s efforts to improve the welfare of persons experiencing homelessness and provide coordinated care and access to resources to help restore stability to their lives.

It will include the distribution of care packages, provision of a hot meal, grooming services, and medical checks.

Entities Such as the National Insurance Scheme (NIS), HEART NSTA/Trust, Tax Administration Jamaica (TAJ), and the Electoral Office of Jamaica (EOJ) will be on hand to provide services.

Noting that World Homeless Day and World Mental Health Day are both observed on October 10, Mayor Swaby said this overlap is no accident as many homeless individuals face significant mental health challenges.

“Studies have shown that mental health illness is both a cause and a consequence of homelessness. The lack of stable housing can worsen existing conditions like depression and anxiety while untreated mental health issues can often lead to or extend homelessness,” he added.

“Our objective is to get them off the streets and into stable homes. We have established a committee that is focused on doing this,” he noted.

The committee is comprised of representatives from the Board of Supervision in the Ministry of Local Government and Community Development, Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF), Ministry of Labour and Social Security, South East Regional Health Authority (SERHA) Mental Health Department, Kingston Public Hospital, Bellevue Hospital, National Council for Drug Abuse, Red Cross, Open Arms Drop-in Centre, the East Jamaica Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, among others.