With the launch of a new helpline serving adolescents, both young people and adults will have access to free, confidential mental health resources.
Who do you call?
The new Kids Helpline run by the Alex Panton Foundation will be available at 649-5437 starting 7 March. The companion website is already available at kidshelpline.ky. Adults can contact CayMind toll free at 1-800-534-6463 or by email at [email protected].
The Alex Panton Foundation is launching the Cayman Kids Helpline on 7 March to specifically meet the needs of children in the community, complementing the adult helpline offered by CayMind.
CayMind Founder Dympna Carten noted that these groups of lay volunteers are a fantastic asset but not a replacement for professional counselling, and anyone experiencing an emergency should call 911.
Where it began
The adult helpline arose from the added strain many community members felt during the pandemic, as they worried about their safety, the wellbeing of family and friends, and being unable to work, Carten told the Compass.
Seeing a need for this specific resource, Carten and fellow professional volunteers got the line up and running within a few days — a feat she said would typically take weeks or months.
Despite the rush to open, Carten said she takes pride in the helpline’s longevity, even as immediate concern about the pandemic has waned.
“Essentially, it’s about giving people the opportunity to talk,” she said. “It’s being there to listen, and then to educate people about what services are available.”
It was originally known as the Mental Health Helpline, but the organisation rebranded to CayMind in March 2023, with assistance from the R3 Cayman Foundation. She said the organisation takes particular pride in its new smiling, headset-clad brain for a rebranded logo, which the organisation landed on after extensive community engagement.
Last year, CayMind was accepted to Befrienders Worldwide, an offshoot organisation of the UK-based Samaritans group that aims to provide crisis support and reduce suicides by making it easier for people to find nearby resources.
Empathetic listening
With the support of the Alex Panton Foundation, Befrienders Worldwide resident trainer Simon Dwyer led a two-day joint session last weekend that included about 20 volunteers with the foundation and six with CayMind.
Dwyer travelled from Germany to lead the training, where participants focused on promoting empathetic, confidential, non-judgmental listening services.
“ The volunteers from both helplines showed up with open hearts and eager spirits ready to fully immerse themselves in this essential training, making for a very energised group,” foundation project manager Emily Kelly said.
She said both teams have acquired licences to train volunteers.
“This is a huge step to ensure the continued growth of our volunteer pools, and ultimately our ability to sustain this important service for the community,” she said.
Helpline or hotline?
Several phone resources are available in the community, and Carten clarified that the helplines generally provide support in non-crisis situations.
The Cayman Islands Crisis Centre hotline operates 24/7 to help those in crisis, particularly for victims of domestic violence. The centre’s main line is 943-2422, and kids’ helpline is 649-5437.
Executive director Ania Milanowska said the centre’s emergency shelter provided a safe place for 118 people last year – 69 women and 49 children. The average stay is two months, though those needing it can possibly extend their time.
CayMind operates from 9am to 5pm Mondays through Fridays, and the Cayman Kids Helpline will be open 3-9 pm Thursdays through Sundays, but messages are forwarded by email in off hours. Translation services are also available.
Alex Panton Foundation executive member Dr. Erica Lam said in a press release that the kids’ helpline app and website at kidshelpline.ky will also offer information on such issues as anxiety, depression, bullying and relationships. One anonymous public high school teacher who has visited the recently launched helpline website said they believe it will be a great child-friendly resource.
“Being in the classroom with so many children who face different behavioural challenges, I am happy to know that there is a website out there that they can refer to in order to help them with their challenges,” they said.
Making an impact
Carten often takes calls herself, and she remembers being able to aid a “very bright, able” young caller who believed he didn’t have anyone to support him at home, school or anywhere else.
“They just didn’t know where to go,” she said. “They felt unloved, unworthy – felt that their life was actually pointless and purposeless, and had thoughts of self harm that they fortunately never acted upon. But I think that they were actually quite close to it at times.”
She added, “I know that we have a lot more work to do, but I really feel that moving ahead, it’s only going to become stronger and be a really, truly valuable resource for all the people of the Cayman Islands.”
Mental health resources
If you, or others you know, are struggling with issues similar to those raised by this article, there are resources available to help.
- In an emergency, call 911.
- CayMind (formerly Mental Health Helpline). Call 1-800-534-6463 (MIND) Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm. The helpline was established during the pandemic to provide support.
- The Alex Panton Foundation. The nonprofit facilitates support groups and offers resources on grief. For information about support services, email [email protected] or visit alexpantonfound.ky/resources.
- Alex’s Place. Offers walk-ins and referrals to adolescents ages 10-20. Located in the Cayman Islands Hospital or call 244-7856 or 949-8600.
- Department of Children and Family Services. For non-critical services provided by the department, email [email protected] or call 949-0290 in Grand Cayman and 948-2331 in Cayman Brac, Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 5pm.
- The Cayman Islands Crisis Centre. The charity provides support to all victims of domestic violence. Call the 24/7 crisis helpline at 943-2422, and kids’ helpline at 649-5437.
- There are a number of private health care providers offering counselling and support, such as Infinite Mindcare and The Wellness Centre.
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