–through local, international mental health professionals

THE Ministry of Human Services and Social Security is set to launch a new Online counselling platform aimed at providing expanded psychosocial support to survivors and families affected by the MV Barima tragedy.
The platform, called EMBRACE, will initially provide counselling services to persons impacted by the tragedy before eventually becoming part of a wider National Counselling Platform being developed by the ministry.
Minister of Human Services and Social Security Dr. Vindhya Persaud, speaking on the Starting Point podcast, said the initiative will bring together professionals from Guyana and the diaspora to provide support beyond what the ministry currently has the capacity to offer.
“I am ensuring that an Online platform will be launched; it is called Embrace, and the first effort of this platform is going to be the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security National Counselling Platform, which will be expanding over time,” Dr. Persaud said.
The minister related that the first priority will be to make counselling available to anyone impacted by the MV Barima tragedy, with professionals volunteering their services through the platform.
Moreover, she also acknowledged the support provided by the Guyana Association of Professional Social Workers, the University of Guyana’s Social Work Department and other professionals who assisted the ministry’s response on the ground in Region One.
Dr. Persaud said international support was also secured through the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO), with specialists being part of the response in the region.
She noted, “Through this mechanism, we are going to be contacting people, but we have already gotten persons who have reached out and we are going to put them all together.”
Under the platform, persons seeking support will be able to request a counselling session and select from a list of available professionals based on their areas of speciality.
Minister Persaud said the service will provide confidential counselling through audio or audio-visual sessions, allowing affected persons to access support remotely.
“It is going to be a system where persons can request a time, they will see the list that is available, their specialities, and they can have confidential therapy and counselling from any one of these persons,” she said.
The minister said work on the platform began almost immediately following the tragedy and that she personally tested the system last week as preparations continue for its public launch.
As she noted, “I am trying to ensure that everything is provided. It took a little longer because we started to build this almost immediately and I tested it last week.”
Dr. Persaud added that the final product is expected to be available this week, allowing members of the public to begin accessing the service.
The initiative forms part of the ministry’s broader efforts to strengthen access to mental health and psychosocial support, particularly for persons impacted by the MV Barima tragedy.
Through EMBRACE, the ministry aims to create a wider network of professionals who can provide support to affected families while laying the groundwork for the expansion of its National Counselling Platform.