Psychologist wants more J’cans trained to spot suicidal tendencies, intervene

Dr Alcon Barnett, the clinical psychologist at the Western Regional Health Authority (WRHA), is calling for Jamaicans to be trained as suicide ‘gatekeepers’, which he says will equip them to identify warning signs of suicidal tendencies and put them in a position to assist persons exhibiting such signs.

Barnett made the recommendation while addressing Thursday evening’s World Suicide Prevention Day Webinar 2026 hosted by the WRHA and The University of the West Indies Mona Western Jamaica Campus.

“In certain jurisdictions, we have gatekeeper training, where we teach a regular man to raise awareness about suicide. What that does is, it takes the edge off of the stigma about suicide, and the gatekeeper usually provides emotional support and connects the individual who is thinking about suicide to appropriate services,” he said.