Eric Chua on advancing mental health

The tiered care model is the foundation of Singapore’s national mental health and well-being strategy, said Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Social and Family Development Eric Chua. This is why Singapore has a vibrant and thriving mental health services landscape, with more than 200 services targeting different levels of mental health needs - from community-led mental health promotion, self-help and peer support to the most intensive level of care in hospitals and specialist clinics. Elaborating on the key initiatives under the tiered care model in Parliament on Wednesday (Feb 7), Mr Chua said the Government will set up first-stop touc points as “go-to” places for mental health support. “We want to make sure that individuals with mental health conditions are well supported, especially when they have taken the crucial first step to reach out for help,” said Mr Chua. The first-stop touchpoints will include a number to call or text. The Government will set up a National Mental Health Hotline and text service by 2025 that will connect callers and texters to the most appropriate support or services to meet their needs. The Government will also train more frontline social service professionals. A practice guide to enhance service integration between health and social service providers is being developed and is targeted to be launched by the end of this year.