The Caribbean Development Bank’s (CDB) Basic Needs Trust Fund (BNTF) and Prime Minister of Jamaica, the Honourable Andrew Holness yesterday officially handed over Jamaica’s first therapeutic centre for children in state care, valued at J$202 million, to the Child Protection and Family Services Agency (CPFSA).

The Therapeutic Centre which is located at the Maxfield Park Children’s Home in St. Andrew was built to meet the need for a facility for the delivery of effective screening, assessment and therapeutic treatment for children exhibiting behavioural challenges.

“The Children’s Therapeutic Treatment Centre is a state-of-the-art facility that will provide vital services such as residential inpatient programmes, a day treatment program and outpatient counselling and psychotherapy services to children with special needs and their families, from all parishes,” said CDB’s Vice President, Operations, Mr. Isaac Solomon.

“The Centre is equipped with the latest technologies and will be staffed by highly trained professionals who are dedicated to providing the best possible care for their young patients,” he said while adding that the BNTF had also financed the training of 27 social workers in Clinical Social work and another 161 Caregivers from 48 State homes island-wide in First Aid, Fire Safety, Supervision Management, Conflict Management and Basic Counselling Skills.

Overall, the project will benefit 4,491 Jamaican children who are in child protection placement facilities such as children’s homes, places of safety, and foster care as well as youngsters in need of psychosocial or mental health intervention. Additionally, 16,000 children and/or families who access the services of the CPFSA on an annual basis will also benefit. The BNTF financed J$116,280,688.68 of the overall cost while the CPFSA contributed J $85,820,544.13. BNTF provided the funds to the Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF) which implemented the project.

The building includes:

 • 4 Consultation Rooms

• 4 Screening Rooms

• 2 Assessment Rooms

• 2 Assessment/Observation Rooms

• 4 Observation/Behavioural Assessment Rooms

• 1 Managers Office

• 1 Reception Area

• 3 Playroom/Conference Room/Training Room

• 1 Lunchroom/Kitchenette Area

• 6 Bathroom Facility (Male and Female – Staff, Child, and Visitors

•1 Central Courtyard

• Construction of Driveway and Parking Area

• Sewer Treatment System with fencing

• Water Storage Tank and Pump with fencing

• Storm Water Drainage System

in Jamaica to date, with meaningful results.

Under the recently concluded 9th Cycle of the BNTF Grant resources totalling USD8.95 million were allocated to Jamaica, to finance twenty projects. These projects provided solutions for overcrowding in primary schools, improved the learning environment at several institutions, and strengthened the capacity of teachers and principals. Other local BNTF interventions served to enhance the livelihoods of farmers, upgrade tourism enterprises, and improve access to rural communities. Through the current 10th BNTF cycle, which was approved in 2021, Jamaica is receiving additional Grant resources of USD8.25 million, which is being used for the rehabilitation of rural feeder roads, upgrading of education infrastructure, human resource development, and livelihoods enhancement.

The BNTF is the CDB’s main vehicle for direct poverty reduction interventions across the Caribbean. The Programme responds to needs identified by the most vulnerable communities in priority areas such as water and sanitation, education and livelihoods enhancement, to improve the quality of life for citizens of the nine benefitting countries.