Committee on Health, Hospitals and Human Services

The Committee on Health, Hospitals & Human Services will be conducting a hearing on Wednesday June 5, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. in the Earle B. Ottley Legislative Hall, St. Thomas and the Frits E. Lawaetz Legislative Room, on St. Croix.

BLOCK I                                                              10:00 A.M. – 1:00 P.M.

The Committee will receive testimony on the status of “Mental Health”, from the departments, agencies, and organizations perspective here in the Territory. Testimonies should include, in part, the frequency and types of interactions with persons perceived to have mental disabilities.

Invited Testifiers:

Honorable Ray A. Martinez, Commissioner, Virgin Islands Police Department

Averil E. George, Commissioner Designee, Department of Human Services

Honorable Justa “Tita” E. Encarnacion, Commissioner, Department of Health

Honorable Dionne Wells-Hedrington, EdD, Commissioner, Department of Education

Wynnie Testamark, Director, Bureau of Corrections

Tina M. Comissiong, Esq., MPA, Chief Executive Officer, Schneider Regional Medical Center

Doug Koch, Chief Executive Officer, Governor Juan F. Luis Hospital & Medical Center

Massarae Sprauve-Webster, Chief Executive Officer, Frederiksted Healthcare

Tess G. Richards, MD, Executive Director, St. Thomas East End Medical Center Corp.

Troy A. de Chabert-Schuster, State Director, AARP of the Virgin Islands

Dr. Laurie McCormick, MD, DFAPA, Founder, Holistic Wellness & Psychiatry

Dr. Denese Marshall Psy.D, Licensed Clinical Psychologist

Andrea Shillingford, Executive Director, Catholic Charities of the Virgin Islands

Dee Baecher Brown, President, Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands

Daniel Derima, Executive Director, Methodist Training & Outreach Center

Anya Stuart, Executive Director, Family Resource Center Inc.

Junia John Straker, Chief Executive Officer, Lutheran Social Services

Lilli Cox, Director, Communications and Community Investments, St. Croix Foundation

Clema Lewis, Executive Director, Women’s Coalition of St. Croix

 LUNCH                                                                             1:05 P.M. – 1:45 P.M.

BLOCK II                                                                           1:50 P.M. – 4:00 P.M.

 The Committee will continue to receive an update on the status of Mental Health in the Territory.