Government to Partner with the Church to Tackle Mental Health Issues
By: , January 5, 2023
Photo: Donald De La Haye
Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, addresses members of the congregation during the ‘Heal the Family, Heal the Nation’ conference, held at the National Arena, in Kingston, on Wednesday (January 4). Seated at left is Leader of the Opposition, Mr. Mark Golding.
Photo: Donald De La Haye
Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness (second right), joins in prayer while holding hands with (from left) Bishop, Power of Faith Ministries International, Dr. Delford Davis; Opposition Leader, Mark Golding, and Custos of St. James, Hon. Conrad Pitkin, during the ‘Heal the Family, Heal the Nation’ conference, held at the National Arena in Kingston, on Wednesday (January 4). The conference also coincided with the third annual National Day of Prayer.
Photo: Donald De La Haye
Government Ministers and Officials hold hands with members of the congregation for prayer, during the ‘Heal the Family, Heal the Nation’ conference. held at the National Arena in Kingston, on January 4. Jn the front row (from left) are Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Senator the Hon. Kamina Johnson Smith; Minister of Transport and Mining, Hon. Audley Shaw; Minister of Justice, Hon. Delroy Chuck; Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Hon. Desmond McKenzie and Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, Hon. Olivia Grange.The Full Story
The Government will be pursuing a direct and deliberate programme, in partnership with the church, to provide robust intervention that supports mental health in the population.
Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, made the announcement during the ‘Heal the Family, Heal the Nation’ conference, held at the National Arena, in Kingston, today (January 4).
“We need to start a public education campaign, not just from the Government, not just from the Ministry of Health, but also from our churches and other organisations and entities to get our Jamaicans to change this culture of not trying to seek help when they are in crisis,” the Prime Minister said.
“I am not calling anybody mad, because madness has a different connotation in Jamaica, but we all, everyone, including me, I’m certain sometimes the Leader of the Opposition… will have our challenges with mental health… stress [and] pressure in your own life. Sometimes you wake up and you’re just angry and you cannot tell why,” he added.
Mr. Holness argued that the partnership will be beneficial because pastors are “well-trained” to assist with various types of issues.
“They may not be able to give you money, but believe me, just [the] process of finding someone to talk to… I know a lot of that is being done in the church,” the Prime Minister noted.
He pointed out that while focus is continually placed on the improvement of the economy and local infrastructure, tackling the issue of mental health is a “whole-of-nation approach”.
“[That ensures] the moral standards of the society as well as the cultural practices of the society are in keeping with what we would consider to be pro-growth [and] pro-social… meaning we respect everyone in the society,” he said.
The conference was hosted by the Power of Faith Ministries International and the Jamaica Umbrella Group of Churches and coincided with the third Annual National Day of Prayer.