SINGAPORE: The government will make "significant moves" to improve Singaporeans' mental health and well-being, as Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on Wednesday (Feb 7) called for a more inclusive Singapore Dream and a mindset change on what constitutes success.
Weighing in on a parliamentary motion on advancing mental health, Mr Wong announced a raft of measures, including increasing capacity at the Institute of Mental Health (IMH) and the redeveloped Alexandra Hospital, ramping up the number of public sector psychiatrists and psychologists by 30 per cent and 40 per cent respectively, training an additional 28,000 frontline personnel, and introducing mental health services at all polyclinics and 900 more GP clinics.
The government aims to implement these measures by 2030 or earlier.
While attitudes towards mental health issues are shifting, Mr Wong acknowledged that the stigma remains. And this “reduces a complex and difficult problem into unhelpful labels and stereotypes”, he said.
“It opens people struggling with mental health to discrimination, such as in the job market. It may cause them to be socially ostracised. It makes them feel ashamed, isolated, and stops them from seeking treatment.”
16:21 Min
The government is making mental health and well-being a key priority in its national agenda, said Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong. It means providing a broad suite of solutions and strengthening capabilities across the entire spectrum of care, said Mr Wong. The government is also redoubling its efforts to better understand the issues that young people face and put in place appropriate interventions based on data and evidence. Speaking in Parliament on Wednesday (Feb 7), Mr Wong highlighted several key moves and targets that the government aims to achieve by 2030 or earlier. It will increase capacity at the Institute of Mental Health and the redeveloped Alexandra Hospital for those who need specialist care. Capacity at long-term care facilities will be increased to provide step-down care. The number of public sector psychiatrists will be increased by about 30 per cent and psychologists by 40 per cent. Mental health services will be introduced at all polyclinics and another 900 GP clinics. An additional 28,000 frontline personnel and volunteers will be trained to serve at community and social service touch points, and identify people struggling with mental health and offer early assistance. At the same time, the Government will redouble its existing efforts. The Ministry of Education is on track to achieving its target of deploying more than 1,000 teacher counsellors across the schools and providing parents with the resources to support their children’s mental health and well-being needs. More peer support networks will be set up in the community. “These are significant moves. They will require more coordinated efforts ... and ultimately more government spending. But we will set aside the resources to advance this important agenda,” said Mr Wong. He said these moves aim to reduce waiting times and make mental health services more accessible. They also aim to keep mental health services affordable, through the national health care financing framework. On calls for private insurance coverage outside of healthcare, Mr Wong said the government will study and review how this coverage can be improved and ensure that financial institutions deal fairly with all customers, including those with mental health conditions. The government will continue to integrate mental well-being into its Healthier SG and other preventive health programmes. “We sometimes think of body and mind as separate entities but they are closely linked, each affecting the other greatly. So staying active, exercising regularly, connecting with friends in person - not online - learning new skills, contributing to a larger purpose … they are foundational habits that will enable all of us to improve our overall well-being,” said Mr Wong. He stressed that the government is fully committed to doing more to improve mental health and well-being. “The government is making policy moves in this direction by reviewing our education system, narrowing wage gaps and strengthening safety nets so that everyone can be better assured of their basic needs at every life stage and can have the space to venture forth and be the best version of ourselves. But we cannot make this happen through policy alone. Our attitudes, our mindsets must also change and align with our shared aspirations for a refreshed Singapore Dream. Indeed, to achieve all of these goals, we must work together,” he said.
Improving overall mental health also means mindsets have to be changed over what is considered success, said Mr Wong.
He pointed out that this was, in fact, one of the key points from the Forward SG engagements, where the majority of Singaporeans had said they wish to see a "more inclusive Singapore Dream".
The dream was defined as “one where we are not pressured to conform to narrow definitions of success; where we embrace excellence and talents across many areas, and find meaning and purpose in what we do”, he added.
Mr Wong, who chaired the Forward SG exercise, noted that the government is making policy moves by reviewing the education system, narrowing wage gaps and strengthening safety nets. But he reminded the House that “we cannot make this happen through policy alone”.
Instead, attitudes and mindsets must also change and align with aspirations for a “refreshed” Singapore dream.
The national mental health and well-being strategy, which was launched in October last year, aims to provide more tailored care for different needs across the spectrum.
On Wednesday, Mr Wong reiterated the need to appreciate and understand the “full range of mental health issues”.
On one end, mental health conditions like bipolar disorder and schizophrenia can be “debilitating”, while issues like anxiety and stress on the other end of the spectrum may not typically require medicalisation. But it does not mean the latter should be taken lightly, he noted.
As mental health issues exist on a spectrum, there is a need for “a broad suite of solutions”.
While the government will hire more psychiatrists and build more capacity at IMH, this solution is not the be-all and end-all.
“We also need to strengthen capabilities across our entire spectrum of care, including at our polyclinics and GPs, and also across other settings like schools, workplaces, and in the community, so that more timely support can be rendered to those in need,” said Mr Wong.
To that end, the government has specific targets that it aims to achieve by 2030 or earlier.
First, it will increase capacity at IMH and the redeveloped Alexandra Hospital for those who need specialist care. Capacity at long-term care facilities will also be increased to provide “step-down care” for those who need it.
Second, it will increase the number of public sector psychiatrists and psychologists by about 30 per cent and 40 per cent respectively.
Third, it will introduce mental health services to all polyclinics and 900 more GP clinics, bringing such services closer to the community.
Fourth, it will equip and train 28,000 more frontline personnel and volunteers who serve at various community and social service touchpoints. This will help them “identify people struggling with mental health and offer early assistance”.
The government will also “redouble” existing efforts, added Mr Wong.
The Education Ministry is on track to achieving its target of deploying more than 1,000 teacher-counsellors across schools. This is in addition to the basic counselling skills that all teachers will be trained in, as well as the one to two counsellors that every school will have to support students with “more challenging social and emotional needs”.
Parents will also be provided with resources to help them support their children’s mental health and well-being needs.
There will also be more peer support networks established in the community, such as in schools, institutes of higher learning (IHLs), workplaces and among national servicemen. Such networks will have “trained peer leaders” who can provide a “first line of response” to friends and colleagues who need help.
Addressing concerns raised by MPs on Tuesday about better insurance coverage for mental health conditions, Mr Wong pointed out that life insurers in Singapore have offered coverage to people with mental health conditions.
“But the underwriting of such persons can be a complex matter, as our own data is limited, and insurers here typically reference the underwriting guidelines of global life reinsurers,” he said.
The government will nonetheless review how the coverage can be improved and ensure that financial institutions deal fairly with all their customers, including those with mental health conditions, he added.
Mr Wong stressed that the government is making mental health and well-being a “key priority” in the national agenda and called on Singaporeans who are passionate about the issue to join in this national movement.
“We have lots to do and a full agenda ahead of us. The government has set out clear plans and deliverables. But the issues are complex and we do not have all the answers,” he said.
“We want everyone on board, so that we
Continue reading...
Weighing in on a parliamentary motion on advancing mental health, Mr Wong announced a raft of measures, including increasing capacity at the Institute of Mental Health (IMH) and the redeveloped Alexandra Hospital, ramping up the number of public sector psychiatrists and psychologists by 30 per cent and 40 per cent respectively, training an additional 28,000 frontline personnel, and introducing mental health services at all polyclinics and 900 more GP clinics.
The government aims to implement these measures by 2030 or earlier.
While attitudes towards mental health issues are shifting, Mr Wong acknowledged that the stigma remains. And this “reduces a complex and difficult problem into unhelpful labels and stereotypes”, he said.
“It opens people struggling with mental health to discrimination, such as in the job market. It may cause them to be socially ostracised. It makes them feel ashamed, isolated, and stops them from seeking treatment.”
16:21 Min
The government is making mental health and well-being a key priority in its national agenda, said Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong. It means providing a broad suite of solutions and strengthening capabilities across the entire spectrum of care, said Mr Wong. The government is also redoubling its efforts to better understand the issues that young people face and put in place appropriate interventions based on data and evidence. Speaking in Parliament on Wednesday (Feb 7), Mr Wong highlighted several key moves and targets that the government aims to achieve by 2030 or earlier. It will increase capacity at the Institute of Mental Health and the redeveloped Alexandra Hospital for those who need specialist care. Capacity at long-term care facilities will be increased to provide step-down care. The number of public sector psychiatrists will be increased by about 30 per cent and psychologists by 40 per cent. Mental health services will be introduced at all polyclinics and another 900 GP clinics. An additional 28,000 frontline personnel and volunteers will be trained to serve at community and social service touch points, and identify people struggling with mental health and offer early assistance. At the same time, the Government will redouble its existing efforts. The Ministry of Education is on track to achieving its target of deploying more than 1,000 teacher counsellors across the schools and providing parents with the resources to support their children’s mental health and well-being needs. More peer support networks will be set up in the community. “These are significant moves. They will require more coordinated efforts ... and ultimately more government spending. But we will set aside the resources to advance this important agenda,” said Mr Wong. He said these moves aim to reduce waiting times and make mental health services more accessible. They also aim to keep mental health services affordable, through the national health care financing framework. On calls for private insurance coverage outside of healthcare, Mr Wong said the government will study and review how this coverage can be improved and ensure that financial institutions deal fairly with all customers, including those with mental health conditions. The government will continue to integrate mental well-being into its Healthier SG and other preventive health programmes. “We sometimes think of body and mind as separate entities but they are closely linked, each affecting the other greatly. So staying active, exercising regularly, connecting with friends in person - not online - learning new skills, contributing to a larger purpose … they are foundational habits that will enable all of us to improve our overall well-being,” said Mr Wong. He stressed that the government is fully committed to doing more to improve mental health and well-being. “The government is making policy moves in this direction by reviewing our education system, narrowing wage gaps and strengthening safety nets so that everyone can be better assured of their basic needs at every life stage and can have the space to venture forth and be the best version of ourselves. But we cannot make this happen through policy alone. Our attitudes, our mindsets must also change and align with our shared aspirations for a refreshed Singapore Dream. Indeed, to achieve all of these goals, we must work together,” he said.
CHANGING DEFINITION OF SUCCESS
Improving overall mental health also means mindsets have to be changed over what is considered success, said Mr Wong.
He pointed out that this was, in fact, one of the key points from the Forward SG engagements, where the majority of Singaporeans had said they wish to see a "more inclusive Singapore Dream".
The dream was defined as “one where we are not pressured to conform to narrow definitions of success; where we embrace excellence and talents across many areas, and find meaning and purpose in what we do”, he added.
Mr Wong, who chaired the Forward SG exercise, noted that the government is making policy moves by reviewing the education system, narrowing wage gaps and strengthening safety nets. But he reminded the House that “we cannot make this happen through policy alone”.
Instead, attitudes and mindsets must also change and align with aspirations for a “refreshed” Singapore dream.
Related:
WIDE SUITE OF SOLUTIONS
The national mental health and well-being strategy, which was launched in October last year, aims to provide more tailored care for different needs across the spectrum.
On Wednesday, Mr Wong reiterated the need to appreciate and understand the “full range of mental health issues”.
On one end, mental health conditions like bipolar disorder and schizophrenia can be “debilitating”, while issues like anxiety and stress on the other end of the spectrum may not typically require medicalisation. But it does not mean the latter should be taken lightly, he noted.
As mental health issues exist on a spectrum, there is a need for “a broad suite of solutions”.
While the government will hire more psychiatrists and build more capacity at IMH, this solution is not the be-all and end-all.
“We also need to strengthen capabilities across our entire spectrum of care, including at our polyclinics and GPs, and also across other settings like schools, workplaces, and in the community, so that more timely support can be rendered to those in need,” said Mr Wong.
To that end, the government has specific targets that it aims to achieve by 2030 or earlier.
First, it will increase capacity at IMH and the redeveloped Alexandra Hospital for those who need specialist care. Capacity at long-term care facilities will also be increased to provide “step-down care” for those who need it.
Second, it will increase the number of public sector psychiatrists and psychologists by about 30 per cent and 40 per cent respectively.
Third, it will introduce mental health services to all polyclinics and 900 more GP clinics, bringing such services closer to the community.
Fourth, it will equip and train 28,000 more frontline personnel and volunteers who serve at various community and social service touchpoints. This will help them “identify people struggling with mental health and offer early assistance”.
The government will also “redouble” existing efforts, added Mr Wong.
The Education Ministry is on track to achieving its target of deploying more than 1,000 teacher-counsellors across schools. This is in addition to the basic counselling skills that all teachers will be trained in, as well as the one to two counsellors that every school will have to support students with “more challenging social and emotional needs”.
Parents will also be provided with resources to help them support their children’s mental health and well-being needs.
There will also be more peer support networks established in the community, such as in schools, institutes of higher learning (IHLs), workplaces and among national servicemen. Such networks will have “trained peer leaders” who can provide a “first line of response” to friends and colleagues who need help.
INSURANCE COVERAGE
Addressing concerns raised by MPs on Tuesday about better insurance coverage for mental health conditions, Mr Wong pointed out that life insurers in Singapore have offered coverage to people with mental health conditions.
“But the underwriting of such persons can be a complex matter, as our own data is limited, and insurers here typically reference the underwriting guidelines of global life reinsurers,” he said.
The government will nonetheless review how the coverage can be improved and ensure that financial institutions deal fairly with all their customers, including those with mental health conditions, he added.
Mr Wong stressed that the government is making mental health and well-being a “key priority” in the national agenda and called on Singaporeans who are passionate about the issue to join in this national movement.
“We have lots to do and a full agenda ahead of us. The government has set out clear plans and deliverables. But the issues are complex and we do not have all the answers,” he said.
“We want everyone on board, so that we
Continue reading...