Over 6 000 reach out to mental health hotline in first year

The 24-hour mental health hotline, Lifeline Barbados, has received well over 6 000 calls since its launch in April 2024 – evidence, said Minister of Health and Wellness Senator Jerome Walcott, of the nation’s growing reliance on accessible mental health support.

Delivering the feature address at the opening of the 69th CARPHA Health Research Conference on Wednesday, Senator Walcott described Lifeline Barbados as “a vital step towards ensuring accessible mental healthcare for all persons.”

“From February 1 to May 2, the helpline received 6 572 calls,” he disclosed. “Issues range from anxiety, depression, suicidal and homicidal ideation, substance abuse, and social challenges. There were 740 calls recorded last month—the highest number for a month since the start of the programme.”

He continued: “The data highlights ongoing reliance on this vital service. A high resolution rate and positive feedback affirm its crucial role in Barbados’ mental health landscape.”

Senator Walcott was speaking under the conference theme,Mental Health: A Hidden Epidemic, which he said captured the urgency of the issue and the need for “real solutions, collaboration across different groups, and strong support from leaders, organisations, and communities.”

“Mental health is not an adjunct to public health,” he asserted.

“It is foundational.”

The minister said the COVID-19 pandemic had “exposed the weaknesses in mental health support systems and showed how closely psychological wellbeing is connected to economic stability, education, and social resilience.”

Referencing data from the World Health Organisation, he noted a 25 per cent global rise in anxiety and depression since the onset of the pandemic.

To address the gaps in mental healthcare, Senator Walcott announced several legislative and strategic initiatives. These include the ongoing review and modernisation of Barbados’ mental health legislation in partnership with the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO), as well as the completion of a national mental health reform plan and roadmap to bring services in line with international best practices.

“The revised legislation, grounded in a human rights-based approach, will play a crucial role in promoting community integration, strengthening mental health services within primary care, and expanding access to quality care at the community level,” he said.

But he warned that institutional reforms alone would not be enough.

“The greatest obstacle we face is stigma. Stigma keeps too many of us silent. It delays treatment, deepens suffering, and in its most devastating form, leads to preventable loss of life. This cannot continue,” he declared.

“We must replace shame with empathy, silence with conversation, and fear with understanding. Only then can we create a society where mental health is recognised, supported, and prioritised for all.”

He called for a national cultural shift that starts “at the most personal level and extends into every institution,” including families, schools, churches, and Parliament. “We must work to normalise mental health dialogue in public and private spaces alike. We must amplify the voices of survivors and advocates and foster a climate in which seeking help is not regarded as a weakness, but recognised as an act of courage and strength.”

In a direct appeal to Barbadian youth, Walcott added: “We see you. We hear you. We understand the weight of the pressures you face—academic, emotional, digital and social. We know that too many of you are struggling in silence, feeling unheard and overlooked. That is why we are turning words into action.”

Additionally, he said the government is expanding schoolbased mental health programmes and peer support networks, while creating more platforms for youth voices to inform mental health policy.

Looking ahead, the minister laid out four pillars for a stronger regional mental health response: integrating mental health into national health and education policies; launching public awareness campaigns to reduce stigma; creating targeted interventions for vulnerable populations; and investing in data, infrastructure, and workforce training.

“Mental health is not a luxury, nor is it optional,” he said. “It is a fundamental human right. Our response must be rooted in shared responsibility, and it must be sustained by a collective will to act.” sheriabrathwaite@barbadostoday.bb