Special Day to Focus on the Mental Health of Children

The Ministry of Education and Youth, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Wellness, will observe National Child and Adolescent Mental Health Awareness Day, on Thursday, May 30.

Liaison and Communication Director for the National Child and Adolescent Mental Health Committee, Dr. Michelle Campbell, informed JIS News that, typically, this Day is marked on the fourth Thursday in May.

However, due to this year’s Labour Day falling on the fourth Thursday, this important event on the Child Month calendar is being observed on May 30, under the theme ‘Your Life Matters… Creating Safe Spaces for our Children’. Director of Child and Adolescent Mental Health, in the Health.

Ministry, Dr. Judith Leiba-Thomas, said that this year’s theme underscores the importance of suicide prevention and the promotion of safe environments for young people to seek support when in distress.

She disclosed that the Day’s observance will take the form of a workshop that will include the introduction of the Wellness Bench, symbolising a safe space for youth to engage in meditation and seek support from trusted individuals.

The workshop will feature a plenary session with motivational talks, mental wellness tips and activities delivered through various media channels and by prominent personalities.

Several students, along with teachers, representing 25 high schools in the Education and Youth Ministry, Region Four, will participate in this activity, scheduled to be held at Jewel Grande Montego Bay Resort and Spa, Rose Hall, St. James.

Senior Director, Children’s Affairs and Policy Division in the Ministry, Hyacinth Blair, said the Ministry recognises that awareness is a major factor in assisting in the de-stigmatisation of mental health issues, while simultaneously encouraging children to seek help, adding that it is important to create an environment that promotes good mental health.

“Acknowledging the prevalence of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), which can profoundly impact mental health, the Ministry of Education and Youth, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Wellness, has taken proactive measures in implementing the Mental Health Literacy (MHL) curriculum in secondary schools since 2022,” she said.

“This has been a cornerstone initiative, with 95 high schools currently engaged in the programme, positively impacting 32,634 students. This evidence-based curriculum has demonstrated efficacy in enhancing both teachers’ and students’ mental health literacy,” Mrs. Blair added.

The Ministry of Education and Youth and the Ministry of Health and Wellness are reaffirming their commitment to elevating mental health awareness among the nation’s children and adolescents, by fostering collaboration and advocacy to forge a safer, more supportive environment, empowering the youth to thrive, excel, and catalyse positive societal change.