Centre to house juveniles, mentally-ill suffers delays

Amid the long-time promise to build facilities to house mentally ill persons and youth who get in trouble with the law, civil servants in the Ministry of Health have revealed that those plans won’t materialise any time soon.

The territory has had a longstanding issue with juveniles being detained in the same area as adults.

During the Standing Finance Committee deliberations for the 2024 budget, D2 Representative Melvin ‘Mitch’ Turnbull asked about the Health Ministry’s plans for a Juvenile Detention Center. In response, Acting Permanent Secretary in the Health Ministry Tasha Bertie said the Ministry of Health does not have monies allocated for the physical structure in the 2024 budget.

Turnbull then stated that when he was in government, there was an agreement to construct a building to house juvenile detainees. He complained about the start of a new year and no decision was sought on the design, the building and the cost. Turnbull said he hoped some consideration could be given and something started.

The Permanent Secretary then replied stating there are no juveniles currently detained at His Majesty’s Prison. She also confirmed that there were plans to build a structure in the Third District that would serve as a Juvenile Detention Centre and a safe haven for vulnerable people who are often seen on the streets.

But Bertie said the facility is no longer available for purchase, hence there was a pause on that arrangement. She also said there was a $2 million allocation in the 2023 budget to purchase the facility.

Help for mentally-ill

Junior Minister for Culture and Tourism Luce Hodge Smith asked Bertie how the Health Ministry assists those experiencing mental illness. Bertie said the Ministry has special days when they pick them up, engage with them, have them cleaned up and offer them a meal. 

She also stated that there are some plans to have a day facility for those struggling with mental illness. The Acting Permanent Secretary explained that before her tenure, there was discussion around the proposal for the development of a facility. 

Bertie said she is aware that the community has concerns about how the public interacts with some mentally ill persons they come in contact with daily, adding that the Health Ministry is looking at how they can set up arrangements for the mentally ill, with the support of the entities — Social Development, Mental Health, and the Safe Haven Transitional Centre.