Counselling costs too high

THE ISSUE of emotional behavioural (mental health) disorders, which is often compounded by learning, intellectual and physical disorders, is a growing problem among Jamaica’s youth population.

An estimated 140,000 or 15 per cent of an estimated 930,000 children in Jamaica are suspected of having some mental-health issue. Of that number, five per cent or 46,000 require urgent intervention and attention, says Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist Dr Ganesh Shetty.

A vast majority of these children are not being reached as there is an almost total reliance on the child guidance clinics in the public

sector for counselling and other interventions.

PROHIBITIVE COSTS

This as the cost per session for counselling in the private sector is said to be prohibitive for most families.

The Gleaner understands that a family could fork out on average $120,000 for several sessions at private facilities.There are only 20 child guidance clinics in the island and many are operational just once per week or once per month because of a severe shortage of trained staff, said Shetty.

The problems faced by children with mental health, learning and intellectual challenges are many and varied.