Dr. Ivy Defoe (third left) with Mental Health Foundation’s (MHF’s) executive assistant Cyrille Brooks (back row, left) psychiatric nurse Marcel de Wit (right) and staff members.
CAY HILL--The Mental Health Foundation (MHF) was recently visited by St. Maarten-born Dr. Ivy Defoe, a developmental scientist with a PhD in Child and Youth Psychology.
Defoe is currently employed at the University of Twente in the Netherlands. During her visit to MHF, Defoe held discussions with psychologists, nurses and other staff employed at the foundation. Topics discussed included the current products and services being offered at the foundation, the importance of scientific research and collection of such data on St. Maarten and creative solutions in regard to youth substance use, addiction and delinquency.
“Identifying signs of mental illness among the youth and providing access to quality treatment is cogently important to the overall health care on St. Maarten. MHF is committed to changing the stigma of mental health on the island and assisting in getting our youth the treatment and support needed to flourish at home, at school and in the community,” stated MHF executive assistant Cyrille Brooks.
