Mental health in the Dominican Republic

The Dominican Republic is located in the Caribbean Sea and comprises three-quarters of the island Hispaniola, which it shares with Haiti. According to the 2002 census, approximately 8.5 million people live in the Republic, with 64% residing in urban areas (Oficina Nacional Estadística, n.d.). During 1990 and 2000, the Dominican Republic was a leader in economic development for Latin America and the Caribbean; however, this was not reflected in the areas of human and social development (Pan American Health Organization & World Health Organization, 2007). Less than 1% of the health budget administered by the Ministry of Public Health and Social Assistance (MISPAS) is allocated to mental health and the public system is generally underfunded (Pan American Health Organization & World Health Organization, 2008). However, there is an array of mental health services within the country when privately funded facilities are taken into account.