In response to the growing mental health challenges faced by students across Jamaica, particularly those from trauma-affected communities, the Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information is ramping up efforts to provide targeted psychological support in schools.

Portfolio Minister, Senator Dr. the Hon. Dana Morris Dixon, told JIS News that the Ministry has entered into contracts with a number of psychologists and psychiatrists to provide direct mental health services to students in need.

“If there are children in the school that need support, you can refer them and the Ministry will pay for that support,” she said.

Dr. Morris Dixon reasoned that trauma and violence continues to impact students’ ability to learn.

“Sometimes we say, ‘Oh, look at that school, look at their performance.’ Did you ever stop to think that that school has children who have been traumatized from they were born, and their brains have been rewired in a particular way? They’re coming to school not really ready for learning and you have to undo that,” she explained.

She underscored that traditional guidance counselling is not sufficient to meet these complex needs.

To this end, she advised that the Ministry has begun piloting cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) interventions in select schools.

CBT is a more intensive therapeutic approach which is known to help children process trauma and develop healthier coping mechanisms.

The Minister stressed that this approach would follow a measured, data-driven model “you start small, you test it, see if it’s working and then you put more money towards it and expand.”

Meanwhile, Dr. Morris Dixon said the Ministry is exploring how to increase the number of guidance counsellors in schools.

“But also looking at other social workers in the system who could also provide more support to schools and to the families at the same time,” she said.