Education
Mental Health, Anti-Stigma Campaign features Locals Telling their Stories
By Dana Malcolm
Staff Writer
#TurksandCaicos, March 9, 2023 – A new campaign is exposing deeply personal stories on the issue of mental health and strengthens efforts to prove there is no shame in struggling with mental stability. Launched on February 27th, the “Dismantling Stigma” campaign from the Mental Health and Substance Dependence is geared at removing the shame surrounding mental health and getting residents to open up and seek care when they need it.
The campaign uses stories from well-known local islanders including; attorney, writer and filmmaker, Dominic Rolle; singer and TCHTA Entertainer of the year 2017 Crystal ‘Tess’ Charles and professional development trainer Latoya Jones who opened up about their own mental health challenges ranging from anxiety to depression and
Sponsored by the Turks and Caicos Hotel and Tourism Association the push comes fresh off of the country opening its first mental health facility in Grand Turk.
The ministry says mental health stigma is one of the biggest barriers to mental health care and in shifting people’s perspectives about this they hope to have more people seeking help when they are struggling.
The campaign uses stories from well-known local islanders including; attorney, writer and filmmaker, Dom Rolle; singer and TCHTA Entertainer of the Year, Crystal ‘Tess’ Charles and professional development trainer, Latoya Jones who opened up about their own mental health challenges ranging from anxiety to depression and more.
All are featured on billboards, unveiled at the Providenciales International Airport. The massive displays share these stories, localizes the issue and bolsters the attempt to get islanders more comfortable with embracing that mental health challenges is nothing about which one must be ashamed or carry in isolation.
Increasingly, residents have expressed concern about the responses to individuals suffering mental health illness. In 2022, Garrick Tucker died despite a desperate online appeal by a Mother who wanted help with her troubled son. Hours later, he crashed in an allegedly stolen vehicle; that help coming too late in a case that even the Health Minister lamented was an avoidable tragedy.
Residents can see the posters sharing these local stories at the Airport, the Health Ministry says the campaign is expected to run throughout the year and ‘there are high expectations that its goal of dismantling mental health stigma will surely be achieved.’