THE American Friends of Jamaica have awarded US$9,000 to the Women's Resource & Outreach Centre (WROC) to support the promotion of its health and wellness programme, which includes counselling services, for 2008.

On Tuesday, May 13, the cheque was handed over to WROC programme manager and counselling psychologist Faith St Catherine at the residence of the US Ambassador Brenda LaGrange Johnson in Stony Hill, St Andrew.

According to St Catherine, "The funds will be used to provide counselling services free of cost to clients and to support community outreach on health and family life issues."

WROC is located near the inner-city community of Lyndhurst/Greenwich - a poor area, with high levels of unemployment and underemployment, poor housing and overcrowding. The counsellor notes that the area is subject to sporadic yet recurring incidents of gang violence, domestic violence, teenage pregnancy, drug abuse and high rates of school drop-out and truancy.

In 2007, 330 individual counselling sessions were conducted at WROC: 209 with females, 64 with males, and 57 with children.

"The purpose of the grant is to continue to offer this programme to people who need, but could not afford the services being offered," St Catherine said.

WROC's counselling programme includes individual and group counselling, seminars and workshops on mental health issues, and life skills training. With the aid of the new grant, the counselling programme director hopes to improve functioning, behaviour and well-being among persons in the community and their families who utilise the services offered.

The funds will go towards promoting a mental health through education programme and counselling support; supporting and assisting persons to change behaviour, eg in relation to parenting and sexuality; enabling clients to improve their coping skills; assisting in sourcing help through referrals to meet specific needs; and supporting school counselling for teens.

"The fact that more than 1,000 persons utilise this service yearly, is proof of this," St Catherine said in explaining how vital the health and wellness programme is to the community. "It is estimated that at least 800 persons would benefit yearly from the counselling programme at WROC."

She said the issue of mental health treatment and prevention warrants special consideration as there is a high incidence of mental illness within the Kingston communities served by WROC as well as high levels of stress and depression brought on by the harsh economic and social conditions, abuse and abandonment by parents and partners.

The American Friends of Jamaica stated in a letter to WROC, "we are pleased to support your mission and wish you every success in the coming year."

The mission of WROC is to build and sustain an organisation which promotes gender equality and the empowerment of women and youth through social, economic, and advocacy programmes.