VI Mental Health Services Unit recognised internationally- Hon Vincent O. Wheatley
Speaking at the Ninth Sitting of the First Session of the Fifth House of Assembly (HoA) on Tuesday, March 5, 2024, Hon Wheatley said the team has been thrust onto the international stage and has been invited to present its campaign at two international conferences.
“The opportunity to present means that the report was considered significant enough to be engaged with by the foremost minds in the arenas of mental health, anti-stigma, and public health,” Hon Wheatley stated.
The first conference is the Sixty-Eighth Annual Health Research Conference to be held by the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) in Castries, St Lucia in April followed by the World Psychiatric Association (WPA) summit at the beginning of June in Reykjavík, Iceland under the theme, ‘Together against Stigma’.
Capitalising on 'opportunity for exposure'
The Health Minister added, “I am actively seeking to ensure delegates attend these conferences; capitalising on the opportunity for exposure and shared expertise and resources, and of course proudly showcasing the VI’s success to the world.”
The Mindful Campaign, spearheaded by Dr Virginia O. Rubaine was implemented in the latter half of 2023 and sought to advance mental health awareness in the Territory by combatting the stigma faced by those with lived experiences.
The mental health team also had a competition with the local primary and secondary schools to design mindfulness murals as part of its campaign.
Honourable Wheatley extended commendations to Dr Rubaine and her team at the Mental Health Services Unit as well as their consultancy firm O’Neal Alexander Consulting Group for their endeavours to promote mental health awareness in the Virgin Islands.
Honourable Wheatley said, “With my continued support, mental health will remain a foremost priority of the portfolio of health and social development through the extension of campaigns like this and other dynamic initiatives currently in the works. We will invest in a quality of preventative and remedial care that rivals global leaders in the space and our people will be stable, productive, and happy beyond measure.”
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