The Wadadli Initiative for Self-care and Healing (WISH), the Mental Fitness Center, and the Antigua and Barbuda Holistic Coalition (ABHC) expressed their support for modernized mental health legislation during a recent event in St. John’s. This comes as the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Liberta launched its Mental Health Ministry under the theme “An Ounce of Prevention.”
At the launch on May 19, 2025, His Excellency Sir Clare Roberts, Deputy Governor General, called for the urgent passage of a new Mental Health Care Bill. This proposed legislation aims to replace the outdated Mental Treatment Act of 1957 and includes crucial updates to improve mental health services across the nation.
The new Bill, developed with input from the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), emphasizes a person-centered, trauma-informed, and equitable approach to mental health care. During the event, WISH and Mental Fitness Center representatives highlighted the necessity for legislative reform to be paired with comprehensive system upgrades that ensure dignity and appropriate treatment for all individuals facing mental health challenges.
Tia Philip from ABHC remarked, “Updating our mental health laws is necessary and overdue. We need to foster ongoing dialogue among health authorities, professionals, and those with lived experiences to create effective reform.” Jamion Knight, Founder of the Mental Fitness Center, pointed out that faith communities can play a role in enhancing the nation’s mental health, stating, “By collaborating across sectors, we can help Antiguans and Barbudans face issues like childhood trauma and depression.”
Chaneil Imhoff, Founder of WISH, emphasized the importance of focusing on patients in the new Bill: “It must prioritize the needs of individuals, ensuring that the mental health system adapts to our growing population and protects their dignity.”
The proposed Bill aims to establish clear criteria for diagnosis and treatment, implement legal safeguards for dignity and consent, improve crisis care procedures, and strengthen community support systems. As Antigua and Barbuda prepares for national consultations regarding the Bill, the coalition urges the government to engage inclusively, particularly by incorporating the perspectives of individuals with lived mental health experiences, their families, mental health professionals, and civil society organizations.
This initiative marks a pivotal moment for mental health in Antigua and Barbuda. The coalition stands ready to assist in this essential national effort to create a mental health system that meets contemporary standards and addresses the needs of the community.
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