Members of the Dutch Caribbean Mental Health Federation (DCMH) met in Bonaire from 8 to 11 June 2026. During this working visit, knowledge exchange, regional cooperation, and preliminary results of the second edition of the Caribbean Mental Health Regional Overview 2025 were central topics. The findings of the GGZ Carib study were also formally presented to DCMH members.
Strengthening regional collaboration
DCMH consists of FSMA Respaldo in Aruba, GGz Curaçao, Brasami Rehab Clinic in Curaçao, PSI Skuchami in Curaçao, the Mental Health Foundation in Sint Maarten, and Mental Health Caribbean (MHC) in Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, and Saba. During the working visit, representatives of the participating mental health organizations toured several departments of MHC.
During a substantive meeting on 9 June 2026, the preliminary findings of the Caribbean Mental Health Regional Overview 2025 were presented and discussed. The report provides a statistical overview of the number of mental health clients across the islands and their primary mental health concerns. DCMH members provided feedback on the findings and discussed ways to further strengthen and sustain regional cooperation in data collection.
During the same meeting, the GGZ Carib report, conducted by the Curaçao Biomedical and Health Research Institute (CBHRI), was presented to DCMH members. This study offers valuable insights into the mental healthcare landscape of Curaçao and Bonaire. In addition, DCMH delivered a presentation and workshop during the healthcare conference organized by Healthcare and Youth Caribbean Netherlands (ZJCN).
Regional overview of mental health in the Caribbean area
For the second time, DCMH has jointly mapped the state of mental healthcare across the six Caribbean islands within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. During the ZJCN healthcare conference, attendees were given a first look at the results of the Regiobeeld GGZ Caribisch Gebied 2025 (regional overview of mental health in the Caribbean area 2025).
The regional overview is based on data collected from nearly 10,930 clients across six islands. The findings provide insight into the most common mental health disorders and psychosocial challenges within the region’s mental healthcare services.
Psychotic disorders were found to be the most prevalent. These conditions can affect a person’s ability to distinguish between reality and their thoughts and may involve symptoms such as delusions or hallucinations. The second most common category consists of neurodevelopmental disorders, including Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and autism. These conditions are often evident from an early age and are related to brain development. Psychosocial problems rank third and include issues such as financial stress, difficulties at home, and family-related tensions.
The regional overview helps mental health organizations improve collaboration and better align services with the needs of the population.
Collaboration as a prerequisite for quality care
During the ZJCN healthcare conference, Caroline Hart of Respaldo and Kathelijne van den Boogert of MHC delivered a presentation on behalf of DCMH highlighting the federation’s achievements over recent years. Their key message was:
“On the islands, collaboration is not a choice—it is a prerequisite for providing quality care.”
DCMH also facilitated a workshop on regional data collection. Participants discussed how organizations across the islands successfully collaborated to collect data from different systems and explored opportunities to further improve data quality and ensure the continuity of the regional monitoring framework.
With this joint regional overview, DCMH is taking an important step toward making mental healthcare needs within the region more visible. By connecting knowledge, data, and practical experience, mental health organizations throughout the Caribbean part of the Kingdom can continue working together to provide appropriate, accessible, and future-proof mental healthcare services.
Presentation “On the islands, collaboration is not a choice—it is a prerequisite for providing quality care,” delivered by Caroline Hart and Kathelijne van den Boogert.
