Last week, Youth MP for St. Peter and Mental Health Activist, Chaneil Imhoff launched a Toiletries Drive for the Clarevue Psychiatric Hospital. After the launch of the drive, Mrs. Imhoff visited Clarevue and had a healthy discussion with the Matron, Nurse Jeanie Batchelor, Superintendent Candine Roberts, and Nurse Cavelle Morris about the needs of the Hospital.
During that conversation, Imhoff was appraised of the plans to construct an Isolation Room on the Clarevue compound. It was noted that $15,000 EC is required to construct the room which is to be used to house patients on Suicide Watch, treat patients on a one-on-one basis, and for monitoring patients who need privacy.
Globally, 1 in 7 persons are diagnosed with a mental illness and in Antigua and Barbuda, our sole Psychiatric Hospital can house only 130 patients and has limited facilities. Though progress has been made over the last few years, through generous donors like the Jumby Bay Fund, Rotary, and other humanitarian organizations, there is much more we can do as responsible citizens to support our most vulnerable populations.
Imhoff is advocating for Legislative and systemic change in the long run and she has put her support behind this initiative and any other plans and activities that the hospital is planning.
She says, “I am using my platform to help Clarevue raise these funds and by extension, raise awareness for the importance of Mental Health Care in Antigua and Barbuda. We must start to change the conversation around Mental Health and advocate together for change.”
To donate, please visit www.chaneilimhoff.com/helpclarevue.
Campaign Video: https://youtu.be/UgSK3uRsxbQ
