Haiti has become an increasingly dangerous and unpredictable place to live. Our Haitian staff recognized a dramatic rise in depression and even suicide in the community — and knew they had to act.
Mental Health Program
restoring hope
Meeting People Where They Are
Mental health isn't a buzzword in Haiti — it isn't widely addressed or popular.
But our staff saw the desperate need and built something from the ground up. What started as simply giving street children a meal and listening to their stories has grown into a full walk-in mental health center, open every day from 8am–4pm. Three groups of 20 people meet every Saturday for group therapy. Forty young people are trained there every weekend. In 2025, 111 people graduated from the program — and 17 of them now work alongside us to help others heal.
Reaching the Unreachable
Our Haitian staff felt there was even more to do. So they go out to meet people where they are — prisoners in the prison, homeless children on the street, students at school, the elderly in their homes, and adults throughout the community of Jacmel. One of our young men from the children’s home, Frisson, now teaches art lessons for kids on the street. The impact on the mental health crisis in Jacmel has been profound.
“Since 2020, I have lived with constant fear and stress. I could not sleep, my thoughts were heavy, and I felt myself sinking deeper into despair. There was no one to talk to, no place to turn. Through Children’s Hope’s mental health program, I found people who listened, who understood, and who reminded me that I am not alone. Slowly, I am finding peace again.”
~ 29-year-old man from Jacmel
