Rachel Ong on advancing mental health
Young people and working adults must be encouraged to seek help for mental health issues as a study has revealed a huge gap between those who need treatment and those who actually get treated, said MP Rachel Ong in Parliament on Tuesday (Feb 6). She urged the lowering of age of consent for mental health services to 18, including interventions requiring medication. This is because youths may be discouraged from getting help because they do not want their parents to know about their problems. There have also been cases where parents refused medication for their child due to stigma. Meanwhile, professional mental health service providers, especially those who treat youths aged below 18, must be properly certified and licensed - as “anyone can refer to themselves as a therapist or counsellor”, said Ms Ong. Pointing to a growing trend in youths educating themselves about mental wellness via social media, she suggested that the Government explore working with youths to co-curate and validate a list of social media accounts on mental wellness. Ms Ong also said basic mental health assessments should be made part of annual health screening for primary and secondary school students. This will support early intervention and normalise mental health discussions at a school-going age for both students and parents. Turning to adults, Ms Ong said they may be fearful of getting treatment because of insurers discriminating against people with mental illness or a history of mental illness. She proposed that the Inter-Agency Taskforce on Mental Health and Well-being clarify the issue with insurance companies and outline recourse available to individuals who face discrimination. She also suggested modifying the traditional medical leave system to recognise a broader range of interventions for mental health. At the moment, those who see psychologists, counsellors and mental health therapists do not qualify for paid medical leave.
Young people and working adults must be encouraged to seek help for mental health issues as a study has revealed a huge gap between those who need treatment and those who actually get treated, said MP Rachel Ong in Parliament on Tuesday (Feb 6). She urged the lowering of age of consent for mental health services to 18, including interventions requiring medication. This is because youths may be discouraged from getting help because they do not want their parents to know about their problems. There have also been cases where parents refused medication for their child due to stigma. Meanwhile, professional mental health service providers, especially those who treat youths aged below 18, must be properly certified and licensed - as “anyone can refer to themselves as a therapist or counsellor”, said Ms Ong. Pointing to a growing trend in youths educating themselves about mental wellness via social media, she suggested that the Government explore working with youths to co-curate and validate a list of social media accounts on mental wellness. Ms Ong also said basic mental health assessments should be made part of annual health screening for primary and secondary school students. This will support early intervention and normalise mental health discussions at a school-going age for both students and parents. Turning to adults, Ms Ong said they may be fearful of getting treatment because of insurers discriminating against people with mental illness or a history of mental illness. She proposed that the Inter-Agency Taskforce on Mental Health and Well-being clarify the issue with insurance companies and outline recourse available to individuals who face discrimination. She also suggested modifying the traditional medical leave system to recognise a broader range of interventions for mental health. At the moment, those who see psychologists, counsellors and mental health therapists do not qualify for paid medical leave.
