National Child and Adolescent Mental Health Day to Be Observed on May 22

Thursday, May 22 will be observed as National Child and Adolescent Mental Health Day, signifying the start of a week of activities to be executed under the theme ‘Do Your Share: Help Our Children RESET’.

In observation of the Day and for the remainder of Child Month, the Ministry of Health and Wellness (MOHW), in partnership with the Ministry of Education, Youth, Skills and Information (MOESYI), will continue the ‘Do Your Share Campaign’ within schools across the island.

Liaison and Communications Director for the National Child and Adolescent Mental Health Committee (NCAMHC), Dr. Michelle Campbell, informed JIS News that the aim for the Week is to share with students and their teachers a series of mental health tips, while emphasising the need for young people to identify trusted persons to share their challenges.

Director of Child and Adolescent Mental Health at the MOHW, Dr. Judith Leiba-Thomas, in her message, reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to investing in child and adolescent mental health, through a series of targeted programmes.

“We are strengthening school-based mental health initiatives, such as the School Mental Health Literacy Curriculum, expanding access to counselling and psychological helplines, and launching national anti-stigma campaigns like ‘Do Your Share’,” Dr. Leiba-Thomas said.

This campaign has, so far, engaged 16 special schools in the past year, promoting safe spaces symbolised by strategically placed ‘Wellness Benches’, which are dedicated areas for mental wellness.

The theme underscores the collaborative efforts needed to support youth mental health.

According to Dr. Leiba-Thomas, the MOHW in partnership with the MOESYI, will conduct a workshop targeting high-school students, to equip them with practical skills to manage emotional distress or stress.

This workshop, themed, ‘Children Conversations…Wellness Bench’, will culminate the week’s activities on Thursday, May 29 at the Holiday Haven, Runaway Bay, St. Ann.

Seventy-five students from the parishes of St. Ann and Trelawny will experience first-hand skills and techniques to manage emotional distress or stress.

“Mental health is no longer a silent crisis, it is one of the defining challenges of our time, particularly for our children and adolescents,” Senior Director, Children’s Affairs and Policy Division in the Ministry of Education, Hyacinth Blair, said.

“Mental health is just as vital as physical health, especially during a child’s formative years. By promoting awareness and reducing stigma, we empower children and teens to seek help, learn healthy coping strategies, and thrive in all areas of life,” she added.

To safeguard the mental health of children and adolescents, the NCAMHC and its partners are making resources available to young people who are experiencing mental health challenges.

For information, persons may call 888-NEW-LIFE (Ministry of Health and Wellness Hotline); 888-SAFESPOT (24/7 Child and Teen Helpline operated by the Office of the Children’s Advocate); U-MATTER (text the word SUPPORT to 876-838-4897) or visit the MOHW Guidance Clinics (located across the island).