Belize National Suicide Prevention Plan Introduced

There have been quite a few suicides over recent years, and even more attempts. A lot of the incidents could have been prevented, if only the victims had access to help. But the 2024-2030 Suicide Prevention Plan aims to save more of those lives that oftentimes slip through the cracks without detection of problems or despair. The document outlines a multi-sectoral approach that addresses the underlying risk factors that contribute to suicide, including mental illness. It addresses suicide behaviour, trends, suicide attempt and self-harm, as well as protective factors, and overall goals and objectives of the plan. Today, News Five spoke with Christa Courtenay who heads two key organizations that work to prevent suicides. She explained that the Mental Health Association and Mind-Health Connect work in their own different way to offer important information of where to go for persons with suicidal tendencies and their families.

 

Christa Courtenay, Rep., Mind-Health Connect NGO & Mental Health Association

“The Mental Health Association has been in existence for a very long time.  Back in 19, I think, 97, we were instrumental in getting suicide decriminalized. So we’re a policy advocacy organization, also of course, constantly advocating for the reduction of stigma, the increase of services, appropriate care. One of our major projects is running the Welcome Resource Center, which is like a daycare center for persons who are homeless or who subsequently also have some mental health disorder and need daycare. We have shower facilities. They participate in making their meals – again, trying to make sure that they can live with a little bit of dignity and participate in their own care. We coordinate services for people who might need additional support with any of the polyclinics to make sure that they’re getting access to the services that they may need. Mind Health Connect is a more recent NGO, I think in the last maybe seven or eight years. One of our major projects is a website, MindHealthConnect. com, that seeks to make sure that every available mental health or wellness resource that is available in Belize. Both private and public are listed all in one place. Everybody nowadays has their own device, they have data, they access the internet more than any other tool, and so we wanted to make sure that reaching out for help is more easily accessible after creating the website, which is supposed to be a comprehensive sort of list of resources, as we augment those resources, then services are added to the site, but for people who are interested in getting help, but don’t know to access care. All of the P.N.Ps that he mentioned are listed there. All of the clinics that are both public and any private mental health counsellors, for instance, who work in private practice. All of them are listed there so that people can access the help. We also have a phone number. It’s not a hotline per se, but people can call and ask us for direction if they’re not sure where to go or how to access it.”