we are dedicated to providing and promoting mental healthcare in Haiti through education and service
Why Mental Health?
In 2010, Haiti was hit with an earthquake that killed over 225,000 people; 80,000 individual men, women and children are still missing today. 24.6 % of these first-generation earthquake survivors developed PTSD symptoms and have gone untreated; an additional 28.3% have an untreated major depressive disorder (MDD). Over 90.5% of Haitians have loved ones or friends that either died or were seriously injured in a natural disaster in the last decade alone. Over 500+ Haitians died in hurricane Matthew in 2016. 98% of Haitians have no access to mental health nor do they understand what they are living with. There is a lack of mental healthcare in Haiti. We want to change that by training mental health professionals and provide affordable mental healthcare services in the country.
The Haitian community recognizes the dire need for mental health professionals to support and assist everyone suffering from trauma, rooted in the country’s long history of natural disasters and poverty. The current reality is that Haiti severely lacks mental health professionals: counselors, nurses, and doctors trained specifically in mental health.
HOW WE DO THAT
We train and prepare mental health professionals in Haiti by following a comprehensive curriculum that covers subjects such as trauma, addictions, human development, and more.
Our passionate directors oversee the recruitment of licensed and experienced experts who volunteer to teach and develop programs in Haiti. Our directors ensure that required standards are met, and are in charge of running the program.
Bree Pedersen is a Clinical Therapist based in the Chicagoland area. She graduated from Denver Seminary with a Master of Arts in Counseling and is additionally a certified Drug and Alcohol Counselor. Bree has been working as a mental health and substance abuse clinician at a not-for-profit for the past 5 years. She is passionate about creating mentoring and education services for future Haitian clinicians to help equip men and women with the tools necessary to provide excellent counseling services to the people of Haiti.
Based in Cap Haitian, Haiti, Angeline Saint-Jean has over 10 years of experience in the nonprofit world. She has a passion for her community and is a true believer that we are making a lasting impact in Haiti. Her favorite thing about 509 Quest is our emphasis on humility and respect when serving the people of Haiti.