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Recent studies have ranked suicide as the third leading cause of death among 15 to 29-year-olds worldwide.
With these alarming statistics, the Health Ministry, in collaboration with UNICEF and UWI have launched U-Matter, a text-based chatline operated by trained post-graduate UWI students who serve as listeners. The service is geared towards those ages 15-29.
Via WhatsApp, users can message 763-7336 to access support from one of the 52 trained, volunteer listeners.
Acting CMO Dr Anita Laloo said the ministry has been strengthening its mental health system in the areas of governance and leadership, service delivery, human resources and training, mental health promotion and prevention and information systems and research.
She said since the establishment of the mental health unit in 2011, the ministry has achieved milestones, including the cabinet approval of the National Mental Health Policy and the creation of the position of mental health director to guide the centralisation of mental health services.
She said the ministry has also heavily invested in mental health training for public service staff.
“These efforts, along with the planned establishment of the community mental health team and 24/7 crisis response team in every regional health authority are all part of our long-term vision to make mental health services responsive, accessible and stigma-free...while today’s launch is a major milestone, it is only one part of our broader vision for mental health in TT. We will continue to strengthen our government structures by establishing the national mental health committee."
She said legislative reform is also a priority and the ministry is working towards the decriminalisation of suicide.
She said the ministry is also advancing the implementation of psychiatric wards at the Arima, Point Fortin and the central block of the Port of Spain general hospital. She said similar facilities will come to Sangre Grande.
Additional ministry plans include integrating mental health and psychological support in the nation’s disaster response, establishing a mental health information system along with a hospital-based suicide surveillance system and developing a national plan for dementia.
“These initiatives will work hand in hand with the U-Matter chat line forming a stronger, more integrated, responsive and holistic safety net for all.”
Dean of the social sciences faculty at UWI, Dr Acolla Lewis-Cameron said mental health concerns have been on the rise in TT, especially in the wake of the covid19 pandemic, with clinical psychologists noting a spike in depression and anxiety among teenagers and young adults.
She said this has become more and more evident in educational institutions.
“You walk to a classroom and see several empty seats and we see students weaning long-sleeved clothing in the heat to hide the cut marks on their arms.”
She said UWI had to invest in a counsellor for each of its eight faculties on campus to remedy the month-long wait list of the main campus counsellor.
“We are face to face with binge drinking in order to just cope, inappropriate use of cannabis, you name it, young people are searching for various ways to cope with the challenges they face.”
Director of mental health services Dr Hazel Othello said the chatline’s pilot, which was rolled out on UWI, St Augustine campus with great success, helped the team fine-tune the technological and human resource aspects of the service.
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