Children and young people across Antigua and Barbuda now have access to a new mental health support service following the launch of the Young Caribbean Minds (YCM) Chatline, the first free, anonymous, text-based mental health and child protection platform of its kind in the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS).
According to an official press release, the initiative is a collaborative effort involving the Government of Antigua and Barbuda, UNICEF, the University of the West Indies (UWI), the OECS Commission, and Zenith Centre. The service is designed to provide young people with confidential psychosocial support while also connecting vulnerable children to child protection services when necessary.
The launch follows what organizers describe as the largest youth consultation ever conducted on mental health legislation in the Eastern Caribbean. More than 1,000 children and young people participated in surveys, focus groups, and national consultations that helped shape both the country’s proposed Mental Health Care Bill 2026 and the design of the Young Caribbean Minds Chatline.
Released alongside the new service was the Youth Voices: Mental Health Care Bill Survey Report, which captures the views of young people between the ages of 10 and 19. The press release says that it represents the Caribbean’s first documented youth consultation to directly inform mental health legislation, demonstrating how children’s perspectives can influence national policymaking.
The report revealed that stigma remains the biggest obstacle preventing young people from seeking mental health support, with 34.2 percent of respondents saying they fear being judged if they ask for help. More than half of those surveyed called for stronger protections within the proposed legislation, while nearly 90 percent expressed support for the Bill’s rights-based approach. Privacy was identified as the most important factor in building trust in mental health services, with online chat support emerging as the second most preferred method for accessing assistance.
Those findings directly shaped the development of the Young Caribbean Minds Chatline, stated UNICEF. The platform offers free, real-time support through trained volunteers from the University of the West Indies, who operate under the supervision of qualified psychologists. Reportedly, young users can seek help anonymously without providing personal information, while an integrated referral system allows children considered at risk to be connected with appropriate safeguarding services.
Prime Minister Gaston Browne described access to mental healthcare as a basic human right and reflected on what he says is his long-standing advocacy for improved mental health services both nationally and across the region.
“I have been an advocate of mental health care for everyone as a fundamental right,” he said. “I’ve advocated here in Antigua and Barbuda, within the region, the OECS and the United Nations, and I’m very happy to be participating in this programme, which has mental health at its epicentre,” said Browne.
The Prime Minister also spoke about his personal experiences and the importance of addressing the stigma surrounding mental illness, saying, “Unfortunately, the issue of mental health has been stigmatized globally,” he said. “The reason why I’m so committed to this issue is personal. Many of you may not be aware that I grew up in a single-parent home with a mentally ill mother… many times there was a crisis that could not work, which made it very difficult for me and my siblings.”
UNICEF Representative a.i. for the Eastern Caribbean Area Office, Maryam Abdu, described the launch as a significant step toward ensuring that young people have access to safe and confidential mental health services.
“Today we reaffirm our commitment to every young person in the Caribbean: your voice matters, your feelings matter, and help is available,” said Maryam Abdu. “The Young Caribbean Minds Chatline provides a free, confidential, and accessible space so no child has to struggle alone.”
She said the project reflects the region’s willingness to listen to young people and respond with meaningful action.
“Our region has shown the courage to listen—now we are responding,” Abdu said. “By expanding this Chatline across Eastern Caribbean member states and offering bilingual support, we are ensuring that support is truly inclusive and reaches the young people who need it most.”
She added that the initiative represents much more than simply a new service.
“Young Caribbean Minds is more than a service—it is a promise. Built with young people’s voices and guided by local partnerships, this initiative strengthens resilience, protects children and gives families and communities the tools to help every child thrive.”
Meanwhile, Dr. Camille Samuel, Registrar at the University of the West Indies Five Islands Campus, highlighted the University’s contribution through the training of volunteer chat supporters.
“Seeing our Five Islands students step forward as volunteer chat supporters fills me with pride,” she said. “Their year-long training will build a community of empathetic, skilled peers who can change lives,” stated Dr Samuel.
The Chatline reportedly builds on a successful five-month pilot programme during which more than 1,000 support sessions were delivered. Eighty-eight percent of users indicated they would use the service again, said the release. The initiative has also gained international recognition, including being identified as a best practice at the Global Conference on Child and Adolescent Mental Health in South Africa and finishing among the top three finalists in the UNICEF Global INSPIRE Awards from more than 300 submissions worldwide.
The launch ceremony brought together Prime Minister Browne, Minister of Health, Wellness, the Environment and Civil Service Affairs Michael Joseph, Minister of Social Transformation Kiz Johnson, senior government officials, development partners, civil society organizations and youth representatives.
UNICEF reports that members of the National Student Council and the National Youth Parliament Association of Antigua and Barbuda also addressed the gathering, welcoming the Government’s commitment to improving mental health services while calling for continued youth involvement in policymaking.
The organization added that the Young Caribbean Minds Chatline received endorsement from OECS Ministers of Health during the OECS Health Policy Forum in April 2025 and is being developed as a regional service for all nine OECS member states. Following the soft launch in Antigua and Barbuda, volunteer training and system improvements will continue ahead of a phased rollout across the country and the wider region. The initiative will also be discussed during the Second OECS Council of Ministers on Youth and Sports, scheduled to take place in Antigua and Barbuda on August 12 and 13, 2026.
