CUMI is a non-governmental organization (NGO), registered non-profit and charitable foundation based in Montego Bay Jamaica. Since 1990 a group of concerned citizens in the Montego Bay area, spearheaded by then Mayor Arthur Gilchrist, Elizabeth Hall and Joy Crooks.

 

The group saw the need for services which would provide assistance to the homeless mentally ill persons in the community. August 1991, CUMI opened the doors to the Rehabilitation Day Centre and commenced the operations of CUMI Monday – Friday 8am – 4pm. As an NGO, CUMI partner and collaborates with the regional psychiatric department, Type V health centre, community clinics and the mental health officers (MHO), with other health professionals who provides the foundation for community mental health care.

 

The CUMI rehabilitation day centre also partner with other NGO’s and faith based community service providers in Montego Bay (Open Heart Charitable Mission, care centre with night shelter and churches). These services compliment the regional psychiatric delivery of community mental health care to support the motto ‘there is no good health without good mental health’.

 

These NGO partnership and services helps to support the social safety net for vulnerable individuals such as the mentally ill and the homeless street people, to ensure that basic community care is accessible with the provision for health care, food and clothing. The rehabilitation day centre programme is based on the re-structuring of life with the programme framing the activities of daily living to assist the individuals to re-gain a rhythm of life as they learn how to cope with managing their mental health challenges. CUMI’s goal is to rehabilitate the individual and re-unite them in the community with families, friends and if at all possible as productive individuals who can contribute to their own sustainability.

 

 

Service 

After the client initial recovery in a hospital setting, CUMI seeks to continue the stages of care by re-educating the client into the rhythm of life and activities of daily living, such as maintenance of personal care and household chores, the routine taking of medication and attending clinic appointments. Skills training are determined by the individual capability to re-learn or adapt to a new experience. The daily group activities are designed to develop good social interactive skills and vocational rehabilitation. Without this second stage of treatment with rehabilitation, the benefits of initial care through hospitalization would quickly be lost.

 

 

For clients who are homeless and active in the rehabilitation programme, the night shelter services, operated by the Open Heart Charitable Mission (Refuge of Hope) .will be available to them for a limited period, whilst efforts are made to contact and re-unite with family or re-settled in a community setting. The programme of rehabilitation enforces the importance of attending clinical follow-ups for re-assessment and the importance of taking the medication as instructed. The method of teaching will apply according to the person’s ability to relearn.

 

 

Client Rehabilitation 

After the client initial recovery in a hospital setting, CUMI seeks to continue the stages of care by re-educating the client into the rhythm of life and activities of daily living, such as maintenance of personal care and household chores, the routine taking of medication and attending clinic appointments. Skills training are determined by the individual capability to re-learn or adapt to a new experience. The daily group activities are designed to develop good social interactive skills and vocational rehabilitation. Without this second stage of treatment with rehabilitation, the benefits of initial care through hospitalization would quickly be lost.

 

 

For clients who are homeless and active in the rehabilitation programme, the night shelter services, operated by the Open Heart Charitable Mission (Refuge of Hope) .will be available to them for a limited period, whilst efforts are made to contact and re-unite with family or re-settled in a community setting. The programme of rehabilitation enforces the importance of attending clinical follow-ups for re-assessment and the importance of taking the medication as instructed. The method of teaching will apply according to the person’s ability to relearn.

 

Groups. There are 5 main groups which access the programme: 

 

 

Outreach 

Telephone request for outreach assistance to deal with persons ...