By Precious D Freeman
The United Methodist University (UMU), through its President, Rev. Yar Donlah Gonway-Gono, has disclosed that the University is expected to offer mental health programs that encompass two distinct pathways of study.
Speaking recently, at the UMU Administrative Building in Monrovia, Rev. Yar Donlah Gonway-Gono said the two district pathways of study include MSc Advanced Clinical Practice in Psychiatric Mental Health and MSc Clinical Mental Health Counseling, revealing that the program will start on September 4 with the theme, “Raising the Standard of Tertiary Education in Liberia.”
“We, along with our partner, The Carter Center, have meticulously designed these curricula to address Liberia’s critical need for skilled mental practitioners,” Rev. Gono noted.
According to her, the faculties of UMU are confident that the program will address a major need, especially in a post-war country like Liberia, where the impact of unaddressed mental health issues transcends individual lives to affect families and communities at large.
Rev. Gono stated that the training will empower students to offer essential services, such as patient assessment, treatment planning, counseling, psychotherapy, medication administration, crisis intervention, and advocacy for patients and their families.
“We are therefore confident that upon completing their chosen program, they will emerge as proficient mental health professionals with the capacity to provide clinical psychiatric and psychotherapeutic care across Liberia’s diverse regions. Beyond this, they will be equipped to assume leadership roles, engage in neuropsychiatric research, and provide vital mental health consultation services to healthcare institutions throughout Liberia,” she revealed.
She stated that the program forms a part of the department of Mental Health and Clinical Counseling at the Sigrun Sundar College of Nursing and Health Sciences.
Rev. Gono applauded partners for making the dream of the school come to reality.
For his part, Minister of Youth and Sports, D. Zeogar Wilson, indicated that the initials of the University will go down in the history of Liberia and the society at large, disclosing that the issue of mental health is worldwide.
Minister Wilson urged all professionals to continue the mental health education in the various communities, so as to allow people understand the problem of mental health issues.
Also speaking, Dr. Wilhemina Jallah, Minister of Health and Social Welfare, described the program as “timely”, in as much they are processing from certificate to degree program.
“Besides the mental health certificate program that was done at Carter Center, currently, we are training certified individuals in prevention, treatment, and in recovery through the Colombo plains from America. Those people will be certified through the standard examination,” Dr. Jallah revealed.
“We are happy for the training that has been done, and we are looking forward to the training that will be done,” the Minister noted.
Liberia’s Health Minister disclosed that the mental health program is an addition to some of the good things that are happening in the country.
Giving the overview of the mental health program, Dr. Jerry P. Kulah explained that the initiative of the project stated early last year before the ascendancy of President Gono.
The program was graced by ministers, partners, UMU faculties, medical professionals, and institutions.
