Minister of Health, Wellness, Environment and Civil Service Affairs, the Honourable Michael Joseph, on Monday 15 June 2026 received the findings of a national consultation process on mental health care and proposed mental health legislation involving children and adolescents in Antigua and Barbuda.
The findings are documented in two companion reports, National Youth Consultation on the Mental Health Care Bill 2026: Findings and Recommendations Report and Youth Voices: A Mental Health Care Bill Survey Report, which were formally handed over by Mr. Jameel Lee of the Zenith Centre.
The documents represent the culmination of a collaborative initiative involving the Ministry of Health, Wellness, Environment and Civil Service Affairs, the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, the Zenith Centre, UNICEF and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO).
The initiative formed part of the Government’s ongoing efforts to develop modern, rights-based mental health legislation and reflected a commitment to ensuring that the voices of children and adolescents are meaningfully incorporated into mental health reform.
Through age-appropriate and supportive approaches, children and adolescents were provided with opportunities to share their experiences, concerns, expectations and recommendations regarding mental health and mental health services.
The exercise engaged approximately 1,000 young people through surveys and a further 300 participants through ten focus groups. Participants represented a broad cross-section of children and adolescents from primary and secondary schools and the Antigua and Barbuda College of Advanced Studies (ABCAS).
The resulting findings and recommendations are intended to strengthen mental health awareness, improve access to services, reduce stigma and ensure that the legislative framework adequately reflects the needs and priorities of children and adolescents.
In accepting the findings, Minister Joseph welcomed the contribution of the nation’s youth to the development of the Mental Health Care Bill and underscored the importance of inclusive and evidence-informed policymaking.
“The perspectives of our children and young people matter. Meaningful reform requires that those who will live with the outcomes of our decisions have an opportunity to contribute to them.
The findings contained in these documents will help ensure that the Mental Health Care Bill and the broader mental health system are responsive to the needs and realities of young people in Antigua and Barbuda” Minister Joseph stated.
Minister Joseph also commended the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, the Zenith Centre, UNICEF, PAHO and all those involved in facilitating the initiative, noting that meaningful mental health reform requires collaboration across sectors and sustained engagement with communities.
The Government of Antigua and Barbuda remains committed to strengthening mental health services and advancing legislation that promotes dignity, protects human rights and reflects the needs and aspirations of the people it is intended to serve.
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