Healing after Melissa

Jamaica’s education system has mobilized an extensive nationwide response to address the psychological aftermath of Hurricane Melissa, which devastated the island in October 2025. Education Minister Senator Dr. Dana Morris Dixon revealed that comprehensive psychosocial support has been provided through 2,086 specialized sessions, reaching approximately 50,000 students and 4,000 educators across northwestern regions identified as experiencing trauma. The initiative has additionally extended support to 167 regional education staff members and over 9,700 parents affected by the catastrophic weather event. Minister Morris Dixon emphasized the critical importance of addressing psychological wellbeing before attempting to restore normal educational standards, acknowledging that ‘It’s not perfect, it’s not going to be perfect, especially after trauma.’ The ministry’s multifaceted approach combines virtual and in-person counseling services, leveraging both public resources and private expertise. Thirty-six private clinicians have been enlisted island-wide to supplement the government’s guidance counseling teams, with the ministry compensating psychologists and psychiatrists for their specialized services. International collaboration has strengthened these efforts, including a visiting delegation from Israel with expertise in school-based psychosocial intervention and support from global organizations such as UNICEF and Children First. The program further integrates resources from the University Hospital of the West Indies, the Ministry of Health and Wellness, and faith-based counseling services. Minister Morris Dixon highlighted the interconnected challenges of restoring educational quality with infrastructure recovery, noting that adequate water and electricity access remains prerequisite to normalizing school operations, particularly in severely impacted parishes like Westmoreland.