Minister Michael Joseph Receives Youth Mental Health Consultation Findings to Guide Legislative Reform

Minister of Health, Wellness, Environment and Civil Service Affairs, Michael Joseph, has received the findings of a nationwide consultation process involving children and adolescents on mental health care and proposed mental health legislation in Antigua and Barbuda.

The findings are contained in two 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. The reports were formally presented to the Minister on Monday by Jameel Lee of the Zenith Centre.

The initiative was a collaborative effort 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). It forms part of the Government’s ongoing work to develop modern, rights-based mental health legislation that reflects the needs and experiences of young people.

Approximately 1,000 children and adolescents participated in surveys, while an additional 300 young people took part in ten focus group discussions. Participants represented a broad cross-section of students from primary and secondary schools, as well as the Antigua and Barbuda College of Advanced Studies (ABCAS).

Through age-appropriate and supportive consultations, young people were encouraged to share their experiences, concerns, expectations and recommendations regarding mental health and access to mental health services.

The findings are expected to help strengthen mental health awareness, improve access to care, reduce stigma and ensure that the proposed legislative framework adequately addresses the realities facing children and adolescents.

In accepting the reports, Minister Joseph welcomed the contribution of the nation’s youth and underscored the importance of inclusive and evidence-based 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,” the Minister said.

Minister Joseph also commended the Ministry of Education, the Zenith Centre, UNICEF, PAHO and all stakeholders who facilitated the consultations, noting that meaningful mental health reform requires collaboration across sectors and sustained engagement with communities.

The Government of Antigua and Barbuda has reaffirmed its commitment 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.