Rev. Barry Davidson
THERE HAS been a slow but certain recognition among Jamaicans that mental health is just as important as the physical well-being. More and more individuals are now inclined to seek counselling and psychological therapy.
As the perception of mental health care has changed, so has the availability of the services in the field. Responsible for a great part of this change both in awareness and service availability is Family Life Ministries (FLMI).
This was the organisation which was created in 1982 in response to the real need among churchgoing Christians and others for successful family life. The group started with discussions of family life and mental health issues in churches, as a result of which the consciousness of and about family and emotional issues was raised.
As founding psychologist, Dr. Barry Davidson remembers it having gained insight into their families needs, Jamaicans then needed a plan of action. It was recognised that a counselling ministry was needed to complement the general discussions. Another compelling reason was the persisting need in the Christian churches of Jamaica for help in developing successful families.
The establishment of a call-in radio talk show called Family Talk and opening of offices of Hagley Park Plaza was later followed by a partnership with the Jamaica Theological Seminary at West Avenue in Kingston. The counselling service was to settle at this last location and also grow.
Valuable partnership
It was a valuable partnership, where FMLI was able to expand its services with the help of
student counsellors from the seminary who in turn gained invaluable experience. The development of a corps of trained counsellors was later to play a part in the continued expansion of the counselling service.
The teething pains began when many received their Master's degree in counselling, but were not fully employed in the field. At the same time, Dr. Davidson recalls, the psychological profession in Jamaica saw a "tremendous paradigm shift" where greater emphasis was being placed on professionalism and quality in service
delivery.
The professional/human resources were in place. It was the physical facilities which was wanting. FLMI had as many as 20 associate counsellors who offer services around the clock.
Preparing itself for a more organised thrust into communities across the island, the counselling organisation took what it now calls a step of faith and made an offer for the Fitz Henley lands on Cecelio Avenue in Kingston. Dr. Davidson remembers the day he, along with Arnold Aitken and other partners, prayed under a mango tree on the property for a miracle, claiming the grounds 'in the name of the Lord'.
The property was offered to them at $9.5 million half a million dollars less than they had hoped for. It was a good sign. The challenge lay in paying for it in the one-year period which was stipulated. The only thing left to do was to find the money.
The group attempted to find a fund-raiser, but failed, and reluctantly, Davidson realised that he would have to leave the cloister of counselling rooms and do it himself. "I took up the challenge. I did not know what could be done, but I prayed," he recalls.
The FLMI group decided on the "one, one coco, full basket," strategy. The chairman and associates proposed that the one coco would be $50,000, the first of which were given by board and committee members themselves. The first payment of $1.5 million was received as donations from various sources.
Davidson, while pursuing his coco drive, met Donna Duncan, CEO of Jamaica Money Market Brokers (JMMB), who told him one day of her intention to give some money to a charitable organisation. He told her about the dreams of FMLI. A donation of one million dollars was received from JMMB and another of the same size was received from a silent partner who wants to remain anonymous.
An interest-free loan of $1.8 million was also acquired. From these and other sources, the deadlines for the land payments were met.
The group next approached the Bank of Nova Scotia submitting audited statements and proposal for extensive renovation needed. The Bank approved the request for funding and a development grant of $7.5 million was received in 2001. Renovation started in July of the same year. Meanwhile, counselling services continued in rent-free property, offered to them for a period of six months.
With Arnold Aitkin, board member, mandated as project manager in charge and a contractor who brought his team of workers from rural Jamaica to live on the property for the six-month period, the renovation work was completed.
Facilities at FLMI now include three counselling rooms, a play therapy room, administrative offices, a counselling staff room, a media centre, a medical centre and conference facilities which seats between 120 and 150.
The funds ran out before air-conditioning, furnishings and equipment could be installed, so FLMI again approached BNS which gave the organisation a further $1.5 million for these needs. Air-conditioning was later donated by Alston Stewart who joined with others to accomplish this.
Plans to expand
FLMI will be expanding its services to more clients from Monday to Saturday. Its case load and facilities will also be used as a training base for doctors and guidance counsellors. Though the organisation does not plan to aquire any more property, there are also plans to expand across the island.
There is one centre already in Spanish Town and the next will be opened in Portmore in co-operation with the Ministers Fraternal. There are also tentative plans to open another centre in Mandeville along with the Northern Caribbean University.
The counsellors of FMLI will go where the Lord leads, it seems.
- Avia Ustanny
