Community
New supervisor emphasises CaribbeanHaven's central role
Clinical Supervisor, Mr. Jamie Marshall of CaribbeanHaven Outpatient Services, who knew at a young age that he wantedto be involved with social change.
Persons who want to reclaim their livesfrom addictions with the help of the Department of Substance AbuseServices, are encouraged to take the first step - contacting CaribbeanHaven Outpatient Services.
Located at 315 Paddington Place, Caribbean Haven is the doorwayto all of the department's outpatient and residential services,says its clinical supervisor, Mr. Jamie Marshall. "All thata person needs to do is call us at 949-8789 to set up an appointment,or simply walk in," Mr. Marshall said.
The next step is seeing one of the trained counsellors, who willhelp determine the programmes that are best suited to the client.The range of options includes family support; probation and parolegroups; 12-step counselling; school-based groups; and prison programmes.He reiterates that the service is voluntary as well as confidential.
Having arrived in Cayman only a few months ago, Mr. Marshall quicklyimmersed himself in his new position. He says he is enthusiasticabout heading the outpatient services, working with the staff,and forging links with the community. Most of all, he is lookingforward to helping people regain their health. "That is thestaff's goal," he says. "Our philosophy is that if aperson's health improves, it will have a domino effect - the careerwill stabilise, relationships with family and friends will bestrengthened and overall, there will be indications that societyis better."
Mr. Marshall brings a range of talents to Caribbean Haven. Inaddition to his Master of Education degree from the Universityof Manitoba, he holds an inter-disciplinary Bachelor of Arts degreein humanistic psychology and theatre from Western Washington StateUniversity.
His diverse working background includes his most recent post asagency director of Pathways, an addiction resource centre thatprovides alcohol, drug and problem-gambling services for youthand adults. There he directed community training initiatives suchas anger management, youth self-esteem, rapid treatment of phobiasand seniors' alcohol and drug training.
Mr. Marshall has also been a sessional instructor for the UniversityCollege of the Fraser Valley, a teaching assistant for the Universityof Manitoba's Department of Educational Psychology, and a child-carecounsellor.
However, his approach to counselling is also shaped by previousjobs as a mime, security guard, musician with blues and bluegrassbands (he plays the harmonica), and stage manager for musicalfestivals. "I believe that we learn from all of our lifeexperiences, and we can use them positively in the here and now,"he notes. "In my case, my jobs put me into contact with peoplefrom all walks of life; for a counsellor, that background is veryhelpful."
When he applies his diverse learning to what he has experiencedin Cayman, Mr. Marshall sees the Islands as ready for social change.With reference to the rapid developmental and cultural movementthat has occurred within the past two generations, he said: "Itis difficult for any culture - and there are examples all aroundus - to experience a tremendous shift in areas such as the economyand family relationships."
"The tendency is that people lose their sense of identityand belonging, and individuals may get involved with substanceabuse because they feel there is nothing else," he said.
The Cayman Islands, however, is in a good position to addressthese issues. Mr. Marshall notes that the Ministry of Health,government departments and the private sector are continuouslyworking to network substance abuse, mental health, social services,and other areas in order to benefit the community. "Cayman'srange of services are outstanding in the region," he says.
As Caribbean Haven is an essential factor in the provision ofthose services, the role of Clinical Supervisor is vital, emphasisesthe department's Director, Mrs. Karen Ferruccio.
She commends Mr. Marshall for his abilities, and considers himan asset. "He brings an insightful, well-rounded approachto the position," Mrs. Ferruccio said, adding, "he isskilled at comprehending the big picture, as well as individualneeds within that context, and has a solid background in communitybuilding. I am sure that the Cayman Islands will benefit fromhis experience."