Carter Center: Mental health expanding in Liberia

ATLANTA – The Carter Center says all but one of the 15 counties in the African nation of Liberia now has a practicing mental health care professional under a program instituted by the Atlanta-based humanitarian organization.

The center worked with the Liberian health ministry for three years to build a behavioral health network in the nation of about 4 million people.

On Friday, 24 trainees graduated from the program’s six-month training program. The graduates are Liberian nurses, physician assistants and nurse educators. They will join 39 other health care professionals with special training.

When the partnership began, Liberia had one psychiatrist and less than 1 percent of the population had access to mental health services. The Carter Center estimates the expanded workforce will push that figure to 70 percent.