‘Decentralisation of Psychosocial Services and Programmes at Community Level’ |16 June 2023
A family photograph
Psychosocial
services
decentralised
By Patrick Joubert
People in the community will now have easier access to psychosocial help following the decentralisation of this service.
The ‘Decentralisation of Psychosocial Services and Programmes at Community Level’ is an initiative of the Quality of Life Division within the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Family and the Ministry of Local Government and Community Affairs to bring psychosocial services closer to the people.
It was the principal secretary for the Family, Clive Roucou, and the principal secretary for Local Government and Community Affairs, Kevin Perine, who had the honour of launching the more inclusive and accessible support system initiative which was followed by a working session to empower district administrators.
Present were the Minister for Youth, Sports and Family, Marie Celine Zialor; the Minister for Local Government and Community Affairs, Rose-Marie Hoareau; district administrators from across the country and other staff of both ministries.
With the decentralisation, it is hoped that access to these services will no longer be limited to factors such as distance, limited mobility, access to transportation, financial resources, waiting time for appointments, among others, that particularly impact vulnerable persons.
This is with the objectives of creating more empowered and resilient citizens, and helping to reduce psychosocial issues such as substance abuse, domestic violence, and delinquent behaviours.
It is also hoped that the decentralisation of psychosocial services will have a significant impact on the mental health and well-being of our citizens.
The decentralisation of these services will include training of ‘Skilled Helpers' who will be based in communities.
In his address for the occasion, PS Roucou said that there is a big demand for psychosocial services in the community, especially in regards to prevention which is the reason why they have decided to bring the service at community level, given that prevention is better than cure.
“Given the rise in social ills that has an impact on the mental health on people in the communities, I am very happy to see that our two ministries are collaborating to do what is necessary for the benefit of the country,” said PS Roucou.
For his part, PS Perine said the commitment to promoting mental health and well-being in the community represents a significant shift, acknowledging that the traditional model of centralised services has its limitations.
He noted that amid the shift to take place, the administrators and their teams are already at the forefront of addressing numerous issues – from housing challenges to domestic violence and from drug abuse to community disputes, among others, that require psychosocial support on a daily basis.
“As a ministry, we recognise the importance of equipping our district administrators, their teams and the community to effectively handle these challenges when they arise,” PS Perine said.
He also welcomed the training of skilled helpers who will be based in communities as part of this decentralisation effort as their expertise and commitment will play a crucial role in ensuring that community members have access to the psychosocial services they need right at their doorsteps.
“By having these skilled helpers within our communities, we are breaking down barriers and eliminating factors that limit access, such as distance, limited mobility, transportation constraints, financial resources, and long waiting times for appointments. This is especially important for those who are more vulnerable in society,” he added.
The launch of the ‘Decentralisation of Psychosocial Services and Programmes at Community Level’ was followed by an empowerment session on psychosocial services for the district administrators by staff of the Quality of Life Division. The session was to equip them with skills and knowledge as first responders before directing their clients to respective corresponding agencies for greater attention.
Apart from learning on psychosocial services, the session also included the 8 mutually interdependent dimensions of wellness: physical, intellectual, emotional, social, spiritual, vocational, financial, and environmental.
The ceremony kicked off with a reflection by Jimmy Petrousse and later animated with a poem entitled ‘Lasante mantal’ by Marion Marie and a song entitled ‘Travayer’ by Sandra.
Speaking to the media, Nicole Gabriel, district administrator for Ile Perseverance 2, said given that they see many people with different types of psychological issues, the session will provide them with more baggage, in terms of counselling techniques, to better interact with people requesting for assistance.
Facilitator and psychotherapist Jimmy Petrousse, from the Quality of Life Division, said that as focal persons, they want the district administrators and other skilled helpers to be empowered with the knowledge and skills so that people will have confidence in them when they come for assistance.
Mr Petrousse noted that given in the last two years the division has dealt with 700 cases of psychosocial issues and given the outcry on such matters in the recent public meetings, they have found it fit to bring the service closer to the community.
Photos by Patrick Joubert
