Spring Break in Trinidad:
Psychiatric Rehabilitation: Functioning in the Community
This course will afford students the opportunity to apply psychiatric rehabilitation principles and practices in an international behavioral health community. Students will compare national and international service delivery of recovery-oriented services. Students will have the opportunity to explore community-based application of psychiatric rehabilitation services to environments of choice (living, learning, working, and socializing). 
By the end of the course, students should be able to:
- Define the concepts of recovery, the benefits of community integration, and the principles of psychiatric rehabilitation.
- Describe key methods by which to ensure federal laws, regulations, and funding support recovery-oriented practices.
- Dialogue with Caribbean agencies to determine implementation of evidence-based practices of psychiatric rehabilitation.
- Apply strategies to minimize discrimination and stigma to improve the delivery of mental health services.
- Analyze the implications of incorporating psychiatric rehabilitation in the country(Trinidad).
- Describe major historical events or patterns that affect the current environment of the country you visited.
- Define ethnocentricity and reflect on what biases you have based on your cultural background.
- Investigate, in detail, one aspect of Trinidadian mental health that facilitates a recovery-orientation to behavioral health services.
- Compare and Contrast one feature of the American with Disabilities Act to the fundamental Trinidadian mental health service delivery.
- Observe psychiatric rehabilitation services in the Caribbean and reflect on how these services affect community function for the mental health population.
Credit/Registration: Students will be registered for BACS T380 / CATX T480 Psychiatric Rehabilitation, 3 credits as part of their spring term course load. Undergraduate students must leave room for the credits in their credit load when registering or will be billed for credits exceeding the credit maximum. Graduate students will be billed for 3 Drexel credits at their normal rate.
Instructors: Veronica Carey, PhD, CPRP and Adenike Webb, PhD, MT-BC, College of Nursing and Health Professions
Arrival Date: March 20, 2026
Departure Date: March 28, 2026
*Students may extend their travel independently before or after program dates.
Tentative Itinerary
Day 1: Departure from US/Arrival in Trinidad; Orientation; Lecture 1 – UWI Faculty:
Mental Health in a Disenfranchised Culture (Tracks A & B)
Day 2
- Welcome to the UWI Campus and Library Tour
- Community Luncheon: Meet & Greet UWI mental health department and students
- Afternoon: Lecture 2 – Drexel University: Application of Evidenced Based Rehabilitation Practices (Track A)
- Afternoon: Lecture 2 – Drexel University: Application of Creative Arts Therapy in a Disenfranchised community (Track B)
Day 3
- Lecture 3 – Drexel University: Psychiatric Rehabilitation; Orientation (Track A)
- Lecture 3 – Drexel University: Music Therapy (Track B)
- Cultural Immersion – Member(s) of the UWI community will share aspects of Trinidadian culture and history with a focus on mental health and well-being
Day 4
- Lecture 4 – UWI Faculty: Curriculum and Discipline (Tracks A & B)
- Site Visit – Regional Mental Health Clinic (Tracks A & B)
Day 5
- Site Visit – St. Ann’s Psychiatric Center (Tracks A & B)
- Processing Exercise Drexel of the St. Ann’s visit. Track A & B
- Afternoon: Lecture 5 – Service Learning & Networking with UWI Faculty (Tracks A & B)
- Cultural/Community engagement – Visit to Pan Yard and Food Strip (half day) (Tracks A & B)
Day 6
- Lecture 6 – Drexel Faculty: Psychiatric Rehabilitation Services: Principles and Practices (Tracks A & B)
- Lecture 6 – Drexel Faculty: Incorporation of Music Therapy into Young Adult Services (Track B)
- Experiential Learning – Psychiatric Rehabilitation (Track A) / Creative Arts Therapy (Track B)
- UWI/Drexel – Student observations/feedback of clinical (Track A) and creative arts classes (Track B)
Day 7
- Lecture 7 – Experiential learning: Teachback opportunity (Tracks A & B will demonstrate retention)
- Intercollegial Roundtable – Drexel & UWI Faculty (Tracks A & B)
- Independent Study – Reflections on principal content, clinical excursions, and beginning synthesis of final paper (Tracks A & B)
Day 8
- Excursion – Asa Wright Nature Centre or Yerette Home of the Hummingbird (half day)
- Student & Faculty Discussion – Drexel and UWI Panel
- Review of Emotional Inventory Exercise applied during the excursion
Day 9: Departure for the US / Arrival in the US
Due Nov. 15, 2025: $500 Advance Payment + $25 Application Fee
Due Jan. 15th, 2026: $1,470 Final Payment
*All payments are non-refundable unless declined admission or program cancels for unforeseen reasons.
Included in Program Fee:
- Accommodations
- Local transport
- Breakfasts and several group meals
- Program activities, tours, and visits
- On Call Emergency & Health Insurance
Not Included in Program Fee (estimated):
- Round trip airfare $850
- Meals $150
- Passport $165
- Spending money $250
- Airport transfers $50
- US Citizens are not required to have a visa for Trinidad. Other nationalities should check the Trinidad Consulate website for visa requirements.
- A recommended flight to/from Saint Augustine will be provided. Students must book their own airfare.
