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SINGAPORE: The Ministry of Health (MINSA) is reviewing the community support available to people with or suspected of suffering from mental health problems, including the “current legislative levers”.
He has been working with the Integrated Care Agency (AIC) to develop such services, but noted the need for better support.
“The Ministry of Health recognizes that there is a need to better support people with or suspected of having mental health needs and who display challenging behaviors in the community,” said the parliamentary secretary of the ministry, Rahayu Mahzam, in Parliament. on Tuesday (October 6).
“The Ministry of Health is currently reviewing the facilitators for the required community support, which include the current legislative levers,” he added.
Currently, the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) Act (MHCTA) allows the state to intervene for people who have or are suspected of having mental health conditions and who may be a risk to themselves or for others.
The police can detain the person and take them to a doctor for an evaluation or to a psychiatric institution for treatment.
The processes empowered by MHCTA apply even if the person or the person’s family refuses treatment, Mdm Rahayu said.
READ: IN FOCUS: The Challenges Young People Face When Seeking Mental Health Help
The Ministry of Health’s approach, however, is to “intervene early” in the face of the need to enforce mandatory psychiatric assessment and treatment, reaching out to people facing mental health problems and their families to encourage them to seek help voluntarily.
She said the ministry has worked with AIC to develop support services under the Community Mental Health Master Plan.
The agency has established 43 community outreach teams by the end of 2019. These teams have reached more than 300,000 people and provided assistance to more than 23,000 people at risk of developing mental illness or dementia, Mdm Rahayu told the House.
The AIC has also trained more than 24,000 front-line employees of government agencies and community partners in Singapore, he added.
Mdm Rahayu was responding to a parliamentary question from Popular Action Party (PAP) Member of Parliament Murali Pillai on whether the powers of the MHCTA can be expanded to allow intervention when a person with mental disorders who is being cared for by family members cannot receive psychiatric treatment even when it exists There is no abuse or neglect.
Murali, MP for Bukit Batok SMC, said he had tabled the parliamentary question based on a case in his constituency.
“The case involved a young man with a mental disorder whose parents refuse to allow him to be treated by the IMH (Institute of Mental Health) because they believe in religious and spiritual intervention.
“The final report from AIC was that if the family refuses to cooperate, there can be no intervention in the current legislative landscape because they are physically well cared for and do not pose a security risk,” Murali said.
“They advised me to tell the neighbors to file a complaint with the Community Dispute Resolution Court, since the young man yells very loudly in the middle of the night from time to time,” he added. “Respectfully, I don’t think this advice … is helpful.”
READ: Comment: Our approach to mental health must change. COVID-19 will force us to
While glad to hear a review, Mr. Murali asked if the Ministry of Health would be willing to direct agencies to get involved and work collaboratively with spiritual and religious healers in the meantime.
He cited previous research by the IMH, which pointed to “a significant treatment gap” in Singapore with more than three-quarters of people with mental disorders not seeking professional help. Among those seeking some kind of help, 24% turned to religious and spiritual healers.
Mdm Rahayu replied that the Ministry of Health is aware of the case raised by Mr. Murali.
He noted that improving support for people with mental health problems in the community remains “a work in progress,” although much has been done over the years.
The Community Mental Health Master Plan was launched in 2012. The Government also said in 2017 that it would further improve and expand mental health services in the coming years.
Among the initiatives, mental health and dementia services have been made available in more than half of the polyclinics here. More than 210 general practitioner partners have also been trained to diagnose and support people with mental health conditions.
“Much has been done and much will continue to be done, and indeed it is important to improve these efforts,” said Mdm Rahayu, adding that the Ministry of Health is also working closely with health institutions, community health partners and other agencies. such as the Police and grassroots organizations to build community networks.
“So the suggestion that the member has raised, working with religious partners, is something we can definitely look at.”
“As mentioned, the Ministry of Health is already reviewing enablers for community support. We will take into consideration member input and input during this review and assess the appropriate approaches and resources we can take to address these cases in the community, ”he added.
MENTAL WELL-BEING AT WORK
A separate parliamentary question from Radin Mas SMC PAP MP Melvin Yong wanted to know when the Tripartite Notice on Mental Health will be released and if it could be accelerated to better support workers suffering from mental health related problems arising in the workplace.
The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) had said earlier this year during its Sourcing Committee that a notice will be issued to help employers improve mental well-being in the workplace.
The notice will highlight initiatives that companies should emulate, and which could include access to an anonymous outside counseling service or training supervisors to identify mental health symptoms early.
READ: The government will publish an advisory to help improve mental well-being in the workplace
State Human Resources Minister Zaqy Mohamad said on Tuesday that the ministry is “on track” to publish the notice in the fourth quarter, with ongoing consultations with employers, unions, mental health professionals and societal groups. civil.
Meanwhile, an inter-agency advisory released in April on how to support workers’ mental health well-being under COVID-19 labor agreements can serve as a useful reference, he said.
The notice has a list of outside resources employers may consider hiring to provide mental health support for their workers.
Employers can also initiate support to help their workers, Mr. Zaqy said.
For example, supervisors can communicate regularly with their workers, talk to them to find out if they have a problem, and refer them to outside help if necessary.
