Department of Behavioural Health Services Hosted the 10th Annual Mental Health Conference under the theme Prioritising Mental Health in the Workplace

Turks and Caicos – On 10th October 2024, the Department of Behavioural Health Services within the Ministry of Health and Human Services hosted its 10th Mental Health Conference under the theme: Prioritising Mental Health in the Workplace. The primary goal of the conference was to engage attendees in critical dialogue about the importance of addressing mental health and wellbeing in the workplace.

Held at Beaches Resort, the event was attended by approximately 100 people from a wide cross-section of the community, including human resource managers, chief executive officers, healthcare professionals, educators, youth workers, mental health professionals, and advocates.

The conference began with an opening prayer by Ms. Tania Allen, followed by an introduction and welcome by the Director of the Department of Behavioural Health Services, Dr. Alicia Malcolm. Delivering opening remarks via video was the Minister of Health and Human Services, Hon. Shaun Malcolm, who reiterated the importance of implementing mental health policies in the workplace and building best practices that create cultures where workers have the potential to contribute productively and thrive.

The keynote address was delivered by Ms. Jody-Ann Pratt, Director of Human Resources at the Ritz-Carlton. Ms. Pratt spoke on the topic: Supporting Employee’s Mental Health- A Guide for HR Professionals. With an educational background in Psychology, Ms. Pratt clearly depicted how Human Resource Managers and organisational leaders are perfectly positioned to bridge the mental health gap by providing support and tackling stigma in the workplace. In her delivery, Ms. Pratt provided key elements to supporting mental health in the workplace which include:

• Building a supportive work culture
• Strengthening Employee Assistance Programmes
• Normalising mental health days
• Promoting physical health as part of mental health
• Having a concise crisis plan
• Fostering a sense of community within the organisation

The conference also included a panel discussion on ‘Prioritising Mental Health Theirs and Yours’. The esteemed panel was comprised of Mrs. Sheba Wilson (CEO, Trainer, Speaker & Coach) Mrs. Ruth Forbes (President & CEO, Fortis TCI), Mrs. Tonya Greaves (Psychologist in the Department of Behavioural Health Services) and Mr. Edwin Taylor (HR Manager). The panel discussion was moderated by Mr. Darron Hilaire Jr. (Marketing Communications Executive at Flow) and added a wealth of knowledge on taking care of employee mental health while also emphasising self-care and managing compassion fatigue.

Also featured during the event was a mental health avenue, where attendees were able to view and glean from various booths focused on psychology, psychiatry, substance abuse prevention and Nutrition. Presentations were also delivered by staff of the Department of Behavioural Health Services: Dr. Jadetra Ingraham (Clinical Psychologist) and Ms. Tiara McTaire (Mental Health Education Specialist) who spoke on ‘Business Bumps – Unmasking mental health issues at work’.

The Department of Behavioural Health Services wishes to thank the keynote speaker, panelists, presenters, moderators and attendees for making the 10th Annual Mental Health Conference such a success.

For more information about the event, please visit the Department of Behavioural Health Services Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/TCIDBHS.