A Looming Mental Health Crises in Haiti

We fight injustice by making health care accessible to those who need it most. 

A Comprehensive Community Model for Mental Health Service Delivery in Haiti 

One of Haiti's biggest challenges is the lack of access to mental health care. After the 7.5 magnitude earthquake of January 12, 2010, and that of August 21, 2021 which struck the Great South, the phenomenon of armed gangs who assassinate, kill and kidnap the Haitian population increased.  Currently there are only five psychiatrists and a neurologist for a population of more than 12 to 15 million inhabitants. Only 4.5% of Haiti's national budget was allocated to the Ministry of Public Health and Population (MSPP), with less than 1% of this budget allocated to mental health, making the availability of mental health resources and services very limited. 

Thousands of Haitian families including children have been victims of armed gangs who kidnapped them sometimes with their children. There have been occasions where the armed gangs raped young girls in the presence of their parents, or mothers raped in front of their children, and where children and adolescents were mistreated and humiliated by these armed gangs.  The gangs would demand very large sums of money in exchange for releasing these families.  We noticed that thousands of Haitian children, adolescents and young people presented with mental disorders like depression, epilepsy, and psychotic disorders and that thousands of women and men victims of armed gangs also became homeless.   

Community training and awareness 

The Haitian Association for the Mental Health of Children, Adolescents and the Family (HAMCAF) will set up a Training and Awareness Program for the Haitian community to help thousands of families in their journey to recover from mental health problems. 

How Can you Help? 

The Haitian Association for the Mental Health of Children, Adolescents and the Family (HAMCAF) launches an urgent appeal to IACAPAP members to provide us with assistance and lend us a helping hand to support children, adolescents and women with mental health problems in Haiti. 

The HAMCAF is initiating efforts to build a Center for the Prevention of Mental Illness, we have already purchased land for the construction of this building which will accommodate people with mental health problems including children and adolescents.  The lack of financial means prevents us from starting construction of this building and purchasing materials and equipment necessary for running of this center in the future. 

There are not many physicians in Haiti with a specialty in mental health, but we have a few Haitian psychologists who remain in Haiti, while most have migrated to other countries. An initial challenge is it to start a database to map resources that exist in Haiti in the field of mental health. 

In Haiti, there are so many people with mental health problems and there is no reliable epidemiological data. During the year 2023, we managed to conduct a survey just on the streets of Port-au-Prince for one day where we found more than 750 people with mental health problems who slept on the streets, but they only need first aid and prevention so that they begin to recover. We have counted more than 14,500 people with psychotic disorders and other mental health problems in 6 departments [(1)Ouest, Port-au-Prince, (2) Centre, Hinche, Plateau Central, (3) Nord, Cap-Haitien, (4) Nord-Ouest, Port-de-Paix, (5) Sud, Cayes and (6) Grand’Anse, Jeremie]  in Haiti who are sleeping on the streets. 

The HAMCAF began providing mental health services to patients in 2023. Since then, the HAMCAF mental health team has expanded its scope in close collaboration with selected health institutions to create a comprehensive community model for the provision of mental health services. In 2024, HAMCAF expanded its mental health program, offering tailored tools and protocols to various providers in the following areas: depression, epilepsy, mental health of women and girls who are victims cases of kidnapping or sexual abuse by armed gangs, psychotic disorders and the mental health of children and adolescents. 

Make a Donation 

The HAMCAF launched a fundraising appeal to save thousands of people with mental health problems in Haiti, funds raised will support work with women and young girls who are victims of kidnapping who have psychotic disorders or depression and children and adolescents who have suffered from mental health problems. Part of this fund will  allow for the construction of the building of the Center for the Prevention of Mental Health Care. 

How an institution or person can contribute? 

The Institution or individual can contact the International Association for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Allied Professions via email: info@iacapap.org or the members of the Board of Directors of IACAPAP. 

In the event that the institution or person wishing to make a donation wishes to contact HAMCAF directly, please contact us via this address: 

Contact 
International Association for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Allied Professions – IACAPAP 
Email: info@iacapap.org

Haitian Association for the Mental Health of Children, Adolescents and the Family (HAMCAF) 
Tel Whatsapp: + 1 509-3774-6275 
Jean-Claude Dorsainvil: jcdorsainvil107@gmail.com  
Dr. Euguens Femine: mentalhealthuqhaiti@gmail.com  
 

This article represents the view of its author(s) and does not necessarily represent the view of the IACAPAP's bureau or executive committee.

IACAPAP Bulletin, Issue 75