Ministry of Health Opens Mental Care’s Center for Hope

By Deandrea Hamilton & Dana Malcolm

Editorial Staff

#TurksandCaicos, December 9, 2022 – For the first time in history The Turks and Caicos islands has a designated mental health facility and Dr. Alicia Malcolm, director of the Department of Mental Health and Substance Dependence has the keys to prove it.

The all new Center of Hope opened with flair on Thursday December 8.

For now the Health Ministry says the facility can accommodate a maximum of 30 individuals and is ‘specifically designed for persons with mental health or substance use disorders that require:  residential treatment services, community mental health step down services or forensic mental health services.’

It is expected this new facility will be the conduit linking support agencies of Government and offering expert care to families in the Turks and Caicos Islands, who are coping and often overwhelmed by the toll of mental health issues.

The tragic death of Garrick Tucker, as a rare but heartbreaking example comes to mind with a realization like this one.  Tucker, who struggled with mental instability and whose mother had pleaded desperately for help online mere hours before her son would die in a car crash, fueled calls for a space for the mentally challenged.

“The primary objective of the facility is to provide treatment, psychosocial rehabilitation, and links to support networks and other services.  Additionally, the facility will provide person-centered, recovery and rights-based approaches in mental health by upholding key principles that are important in the delivery of mental health services,” explained the ministry in a statement.

The Center of Hope was labored over by both PNP and PDM administrations and dates back to 2016.   Former health minister, Jamell Robinson had announced delivery of the center by the end of 2022 and on Thursday it finally opened.

The opening could also signal the a return home of  some of the country’s mental health patients living overseas, ushering in an era where specialized care could be delivered nearer to loved ones.

In the case of Garrick Tucker, it was explained that procedure and placement were issues in the case, but also professionals.

It is less clear who will staff the site as TCIG continues to struggle with severe staff shortages compounded by a globally competitive environment for qualified individuals in the field of medicine and education.

Nonetheless, Center for Hope’s opening is a milestone in health for the Turks and Caicos Islands.

The event was attended by Anya Williams, Acting Governor; Shaun Malcolm, Minister of Health and Human Services and stakeholders from the TCI Hospitals, Police Department, the Judiciary and Social Development.