Professor Abel completed his medical training at The University of the West Indies (UWI) and Johns Hopkins University in the United States. He has a Bachelor of Medicine, a Bachelor of Surgery, a Doctorate in Psychiatry and a Master’s in Public Health. He is Professor, Mental Health Policy Advisor and Head of the Department of Community Health & Psychiatry, The UWI, Mona. He is also the Senior Consultant Psychiatrist at the University Hospital of the West Indies. His work in Academic Psychiatry involves the training of Medical Doctors, Psychiatrists and other professionals in behavioural disciplines.
He has written more than 83 journal articles, several technical reports and book chapters which focus on a range of mental health issues. Professor Abel has been a policy advisor and advocate for mental health in Jamaica and the Caribbean for many years. He has played a critical role in shaping public policy for persons living with all disabilities including mental disabilities. He has worked with agencies such as the Organisation of American States (OAS), Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), the European Union (EU) and CARICOM and this has facilitated several policy and programme initiatives such as the integration of mental health into education and primary health care, the reintegration of deportees, drug and violence prevention and treatment, and marijuana policy reform.
Globally, the education sector is faced with both challenges and opportunities. Especially in higher education institutions where current social, economic and political climates intersect, students and educators alike are feeling the impact of increasing stress. The mental health of staff and students has been described as being at a ‘crisis point’ due to evidence of higher suicide rates among students, higher rates of depression and stress-related illnesses. As educators and administrators involved in education, we need to understand what can be done to cope with mental health issues to make a difference in education. What bold approaches can we adopt? Find the answers as you watch the video coverage of this year's event below.
Special thanks to our corporate sponsor, Guardian Group, for another successful event.
Date: Friday 27th September
Venue: Daaga Auditorium
Centre for Excellence in Teaching and Learning
Teaching and Learning Complex
27 Circular Road
St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago
Tel: (868) 662-2002 ext. 82611 or (868) 224-3736
