Prime Minister Christie Declares New Mental Health Facility "a Bahamian Achievement"

Wed, Jun 15th 2016, 01:54 PM

Prime Minister and Minister of Finance the Rt. Hon. Perry Christie declared the recent opening of the Child and Adolescent, Robert Smith and Special Education Complex, a "Bahamian achievement" that crossed changes in governments, citing former Prime Minister the Hon. Hubert Ingraham's role in its implementation as a former Minister of National Insurance, immediately following Prime Minister Christie's holding of the same office.

"That is what is so enriching about our democracy -- the fact that you are witnessing the work of not just a 'government' but in the sense of the Constitution, Government meaning whichever of the political parties was in, the work continued," Prime Minister Christie said at the June 13, 2016 commissioning ceremony at the Sandilands Rehabilitation Centre, Fox Hill.

Prime Minister Christie added that although the process took longer than usually expected, all stakeholders were happy to be there that day to commission the "modern, state-of-the-art, fully equipped, and furnished public mental health facility."

He pointed out that he was also reminded of the African saying, "It takes a village to raise a child,” which expresses the thought that no one individual or family has the responsibility for childrearing alone – it’s a communal effort.

"We all need someone to lean on, someone to lend a helping hand, someone to ‘pick up the slack’ as it were, when inevitably challenges arise," Prime Minister Christie said.

"This is even more critical when we speak to the issue of raising mentally, behaviourally, and physically challenged children."

Prime Minister Christie said that the official commissioning ceremony of the Child and Adolescent, Robert Smith and Special Education Complex that day marked a significant milestone that the pivotal role the new facility will play in housing services and resources to assist in nurturing and treating those in need of that kind of care.

"It speaks to the fact that as a Government, as a people and as health care professionals, we appreciate and recognize that whatever it takes we must be holistic in our approach to the treatment of those who are mentally, behaviourally and physically challenged, and include such precious individuals within the full ambit of our health-care umbrella," Prime Minister Christie said.

He added that while no one would argue that the best place for children and adolescents is at home with their families, a child or adolescent with mental illness, behavioural, developmental or physical challenges should be afforded the best treatment in the safest and least restrictive environment.

"However, as we are all too aware, sometimes the impairment a child suffers is severe enough to require in-patient care and so, as with all services here at Sandilands, it must be clearly understood that the delivery of mental, psycho-behavioural care to patients has a multi-disciplinary approach," he noted.


Prime Minister Christie addressing the commissioning ceremonies. (BIS Photo/Peter Ramsay)

Prime Minister Christie stated that he was told that psychiatrists, psychiatric nurses, clinical psychologists, neurologists, allied health professionals, social workers and support staff all play a role as team members.

That multi-disciplinary philosophy has come to represent one of the quality indicators commonly used internationally in the evaluation and comparison of mental health services, he noted.

"I am advised that it is an indication that Sandilands continues to lead the way with the provision of care to the mentally ill and developmentally challenged," Prime Minister Christie said. "We truly need to understand what that means -- Sandilands leads the way and to be proud of that reality."

Prime Minister Christie noted that the commissioning was indeed a ‘red letter day’ for his government, the Public Hospitals Authority (PHA), and, more importantly, the Sandilands Rehabilitation Centre (SRC).

"We have pursued, and accomplished our objective to provide the best in quality service to patients that is on par with any residential treatment facility in the region and, indeed, the world," he said.

Of particular note, Prime Minister Christie stated, the brand new facility, very deliberately painted yellow and white - not the traditional pink and white which retains a certain stigma that people may associate with "the crazy hill", adding that he was advised that the colours radiate a quality "that is cool and calm, and fully in line with our other public hospital facilities".

"This simple aesthetic reality is synonymous with the work that must continue to be undertaken to eliminate that stigma that is attached to mental illness and disorders," Prime Minister Christie said.

To the parents and families of the youngsters who are being treated in this facility, Prime Minister Christie said that a diagnosis of mental illness did not have to mean the end of someone's hopes and dreams.

"Children with developmental challenges can and do enjoy active, fun and love-filled childhoods and grow to experience life to the fullness of their individual potential," he said.

Prime Minister Christie said that one day he hopes to see the diversity of Bahamian communities and work places grow to include fellow citizens who may be differently-abled, wherever it is appropriate.

"Every one of us, even the most challenged has a contribution to make, and stigma and discrimination associated with mental illness or disability should and must never prove a barrier to personal growth and achievement," he said.

By Eric Rose

Bahamas Information Services

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