Two years ago, the Ministry of Social Development and Family Services pledged its support to the Ministry of National Security’s Case Care Management (CCM) Pilot Project. On Friday September 15, 2023, thirteen graduates of the pilot project were acknowledged and celebrated for their sacrifice and hard work. The celebratory graduation took place at the Probation Services Division, Ansa Building, Port of Spain.
The CCM Pilot Project seeks to enhance coordination among the justice, health, social and other systems to streamline services for persons with Substance Use Disorders (SUDs) who are in conflict with the law. The initiative is a collaboration between the Probation Services Division, the Executive Secretariat of the Inter American Drug Abuse Control Commission (ES-CICAD) of the Organization of American States (OAS), and the United States Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs.
Speaking on behalf of Senator the Honourable Donna Cox, Minister of Social Development and Family Services was Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Social Development and Family Services, Lenor Baptiste Simmons who congratulated all graduates, praising them for their perseverance and endurance.
Recounting Minister Cox’s sentiments shared at the launch of the Programme in 2021, Permanent Secretary Baptiste Simmons indicated that the Ministry of Social Development and Family Services utilizes the Case Care Management model in the design of its initiatives, in an effort to ensure that those most in need are properly targeted and treated with the highest priority. She expressed “With the vision to be a dynamic, service-driven organisation that delivers premium social services toward the achievement of sustainable human and social development, the Ministry, through several of its empowerment programmes continues to play its role in creating opportunities and providing support mechanisms for sustainable living, particularly to the various vulnerable groups in our society”
According to the Permanent Secretary, “The Ministry is well underway in its transformation agenda, as we have remodelled the way we deliver social services, with more focus on having a direct impact on those we serve. One of the major programmes under the Ministry’s Transformation is the STEP UP Programme, which is a development programme, focused on allowing families to build resilience, drawing from their own strengths, with supporting and enabling interventions where necessary.”
Permanent Secretary Baptiste-Simmons also took the opportunity to shed light on the recent sod turning ceremony which was held to signal construction of the Social Displacement and Assessment Centre, which will utilise a Whole of Government approach to provide temporary transitional housing for socially displaced persons to reintegrate into society.
In closing, she encouraged the graduates to make the most of their newly acquired knowledge, skills and networks. “Be sure to work closely with the Mentor assigned to you. I look forward to your continued development as you work towards building a better future for yourselves, your loved ones and your communities” said Permanent Secretary Baptiste-Simmons.
Delivering the feature address was the Honourable Fitzgerald Hinds M.P., Minister of National Security who emphasized that this Case Care Management (CCM) Project is a whole of government approach. He extended a heartfelt congratulations to the graduates, and urged them to be their brother’s keeper.
Also in attendance were the Honourable Mr. Justice Geoffrey Henderson, Judge of the High Court, Judiciary of Trinidad and Tobago; His Excellency Brigadier General (Ret’d), Anthony Phillips-Spencer, Ambassador of Trinidad and Tobago to the US and Mexico and Permanent Representative to the OAS; His Excellency, Adam Namm, Executive Secretary of the Inter American Drug Abuse Control Commission of the Organization of American States CICAD/OAS; Megan S. Kelly, Deputy Chief of Mission, – Embassy of the United States to Trinidad and Tobago; Charlotte Sisson – Acting Team Lead, Drug Demand Reduction, Senior Foreign Affairs Officer, U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs ; Antonio Lomba, Head of the Institutional Strengthening Unit, at ES-CICAD/OAS, and other staff of the Unit ; Sintra Maharaj – Chief Probation Officer; Jennifer Boucaud-Blake – Chair of the National Drug Council; Marina Piper – OAS Office Trinidad and Tobago;
The Ministry of Social Development and Family Services reaffirms its commitment towards working together to ensure that the lives of vulnerable persons are empowered and transformed.