Agency Relations
1.0 Cornwall Regional Hospital (CRH):
CUMI's relationship with CRH's Department of Psychiatry is of fundamental importance to the delivery of service to those in need. In cases of drug addiction, clients are attended to within the department, as there is presently no detoxification program available in Montego Bay. Rehabilitation programme plan for the homeless mentally ill begins with the hospitalization of an acutely ill patient. Assessment, diagnosis, medical case file, prescription of medication, group and/or individual counseling, occupational assessment, family education and arrangement for follow-up treatment are services typically provided by the hospital and CUMI. Once discharged from hospital, clients who are in the care of CUMI continue with treatment and rehabilitation whereas clients with families are discharged with appointments to psychiatric clinics in the community or within the hospital setting. Often, stabilized patients from CRH are referred to CUMI for continued rehabilitation.
- 1.1 In-patient Department: Provides admission for acutely psychotic clients on recommendation of the staff physician/psychiatrist. In the case of CUMI, clients are readmitted into the rehabilitation programme once stabilized and discharged from hospital.
- 1.2 Community Psychiatry:
The Mental Health Officer’s (MHO) provides mental health care services/ primary health care from the various clinics and health centres in the communities as listed under “The Services We Provide” – sub heading Rehabilitation Day Centre.
- 1.3 Pharmacy:
The hospital and health centres pharmacy provides oral prescribed medication, [as available]. Clients/ patients are encouraged to use the NHF [National Health Fund] cards to reduce cost.
2.0 Poor Relief:[welfare/social benefit department]:Provides assistance to the economically poor by way of the PATH [Poverty Alleviation Health and Education] programme and for those eligible through the National Insurance Scheme [NIS].This service comes under the auspice of the Poor Relief Department/ St. James Parish Council. The provision for the St. James Infirmary which provides housing and care for the elderly also falls under the St. James Parish Council [local government].
3.0 Police: The Mental Health Act provides directives for the police to protect persons of unsound mind and accompany them to hospital or make arrangements for a Mental Health Officer to assess the behaviour and condition of such persons if in custody. The Act also provides for persons who may be of danger to themselves or society to be apprehended by police and taken to the appropriate place of safety. Citizen complaints should be referred to them in conjunction with the Hospital Casualty Department and Ambulance Dispatch.
4.0 Health Department: The Health Department's Type 5 clinics provide medical treatment and referrals to the hospital upon receipt of a referral note from CUMI identifying them as our clients. The Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD) Clinic provides services for assessment and treatment of diseases such as HIV, as well as providing health education and counseling services.
5.0 Related Non-Governmental Organizations NGOs:
Several NGOs collaborate with CUMI in providing community health care. They are listed as follows:
- 5.1 Savannah La Mar Hospital and MHO program:
Provide clinics and outreach to the homeless mentally ill
(WASP--Westmoreland Association for Street People).
- 5.2 Clarendon Association for Street Persons (CLASP):
Provide services from a shelter for the homeless under the auspice of the Clarendon Infirmary.
- 5.3 Good Shephard Hospice: Provides care for the terminally ill HIV+ clients (Montego Bay).
6.0 Churches: Faith Temple [in association with Sandals Mobay and Half Moon hotels] and Burchell Baptist supports the CUMI feeding programme by providing lunch on various days of the month.
St. John’s Methodist Men’s Fellowship support CUMI with cash donation from their annual fundraising event and St. Paul’s United contribute to CUMI in gift-in-kind. 7.0 Local businesses: support CUMI by pledges in cash and gift-in-kind. Regular supporters are: HART group of companies [Saffack and Cargo Handlers], Sandals Mobay, Caribic Vacation [Mr. Townsend], Half Moon, Jamaica Money Market Broker’s, TOTAL Service Station [Mr. & Mrs. Shirley], Mr. Whitfield and Mr. Chambers.
Gift-In- Kind donors: Jimmy’s & Regal Bakeries, Supersaver Ltd, Hall’s Investment [cooking gas], KPMG [secretarial and auditing services], Attorney-at-law services [D. Paris and J. Hall-Hamilton] plus a list of sporadic donors and contributors.
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