Parents Advised To Seek Mental Health Services For Children At Comprehensive Clinics

Parents who have concerns about the mental health of their children are being encouraged to visit a comprehensive health centre, even without a referral.

Director of Child and Adolescent Mental Health in the Ministry of Health and Wellness, Dr. Judith Leiba, gave the advice during a recent interview with JIS News.

She noted there has been a significant decline in the number of referrals to the child guidance clinics islandwide since the onset of the pandemic. Dr. Leiba noted that the majority of the clinic’s referrals would normally come from guidance counsellors and teachers at schools.

“A lot of our children would normally be accompanied by elderly caregivers because Mommy went to work and Grandma might take the child to the clinic. But when the pandemic started, [people] 60 years and older were told to stay home, so that hampered some of our visits,” she added.

She noted, however, that “as the restrictions were gradually [relaxed], the child guidance clinics opened, so walk-ins are welcomed. And with the use of the Tele-Mental Health Initiative, children are able to be evaluated and therapy initiated”.

The Tele-Mental Health Initiative, allows mental health practitioners throughout the island to contact and provide services remotely to existing clients and new referrals.

Dr. Leiba is imploring parents and guardians not to ignore the early signs of abnormal behaviours they may notice in their child or teenager, because these could cause complications at a later stage in life.

She said the most common disorders noticed in children across the island are Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Major Depression Disorder, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Anxiety Disorders, and Conduct Disorder.

She informed that the comprehensive health centres in Kingston, such as the Glen Vincent Memorial Clinic and the St. Jago Park Health Centre in St. Catherine, currently operate five days a week.

Parents can visit the Ministry of Health and Wellness website to see the opening schedules for all 23 clinic sites across the island.

Dr. Leiba further encouraged persons to make use of the Ministry’s 24/7 call-only mental health and suicide prevention helpline, 1-888-NEWLIFE or the Child and Teenager call and text helpline 1-888-SAFESPO, for anyone who needs assistance.