Meet Cassandra Labasti-Schmidt (52). She is the (senior) social-psychiatric nurse for Mental Health Caribbean (MHC) on Saba. She has been on the island for two years and is known as ‘the mental health nurse’ or ‘the Aruban lady’.

In an interview on the website Carecaribbean.nl Cassandra tells about her work for the MHC on Saba.

Building trust

What is it like to work in mental health care on such a small island where everyone knows each other? “You have to stand firm and find a balance between being involved and keeping your distance. Building trust in the community is the most important thing.”

Challenge

Cassandra has been working in mental health care for 35 years. Her career started in the Netherlands and continued in Aruba, where she worked for 19 years at the psychiatric institution PAAZ (later Respaldo). She loves her profession and enjoys taking on new challenges. This was also the case when her current job came into the picture:

“Of course I had to think about the steps of living and working on Saba. At the same time, the vacancy triggered something in me. I love a challenge!”

24/7 on the island

The MHC team for Saba consists of 5 people. Cassandra is the only team member who is on the island 24/7. Her colleagues – psychiatrist, psychologist, social worker/case manager for child & youth and island manager – are flown in from St. Maarten, St. Eustatius and The Netherlands by appointment.

Working independently

Her working days are sometimes busy but mainly diverse. She conducts home visits with clients, performs intake assessments, holds consultation hours, collaborates with team members and stakeholders, performs external observations and prepares reports. Overall, she serves as the primary point of contact for MHC on the island.

Cassandra is on call 24/7 for the hospital and the police, which sometimes requires her to respond to crisis situations in the evening or at night. “This is part of the position. Additionally, I can manage my days and work independently, which is very important to me.”

Open consultation hour

There is open consultation hour on Friday’s between 8.30am and 12pm. The residents of Saba can come in for a half hour consultation and/or advice without an appointment or referral letter. Cassandra notices that this lowers the threshold for asking for help. There is no need to go to the doctor first for a referral letter or call for an appointment. She has the trust of the Saban people and good use is made of the open consultation hours.

Early signaling

For instance, individuals seek her assistance for issues related to sleep, relationships, work, stress, or addiction. Often, a listening ear and Cassandra’s advice are sufficient to address these concerns. For more complex psychiatric issues, appropriate treatment is provided. If necessary, she can make early referrals. Thus, the open consultation hours also serve a preventive function.

Care Caribbean