Follow us on Telegram for the latest updates: https://t.me/mothershipsg

More mental health support will be provided for husbands and fathers in Singapore, Second Minister for Health Masagos Zulkifli said during the Ministry of Health (MOH) Committee of Supply (COS) debate on Friday (Mar. 3).

NUH mental health screening extended to fathers and husbands

The National University Hospital (NUH) will be extending its mental health screening and support to fathers of children and husbands of women under its care.

The programme allows for early intervention, case management and multidisciplinary treatment.

To widen the reach to support fathers, the programme will be made available to clients referred by its social and community partners, including partners for Family Nexus and KidSTART.

Masagos said:

"The role that fathers play in early childhood development may not be well-known, but it is no less important.

Studies such as SG LEADS show that fathers plays a sizeable role in the development of a child’s self-regulation and ability to delay enjoyment. This refers to the ability to defer short-term enjoyment for longer term gain, an important predictor of ability and academic achievement."

MOH will continue to prioritise mental health

During the MOH COS debate, Senior Minister of State for Health Janil Puthucheary also shared the ministry's continued focus and priority on mental health.

The Interagency Taskforce on Mental Health and Well-being, which was established in 2021, conducted a public consultation between May and August 2022 to gather views and feedback on 12 preliminary recommendations across three focus areas:

1. Improving accessibility, coordination and quality of mental health services
2. Strengthening services and support for youth mental well-being
3. Improving workplace well-being measures and employment support

The taskforce received over 950 responses through:

• An online survey on the government's feedback unit REACH
• Virtual and in-person small group engagements with key stakeholders

These key stakeholders include youths, parents, persons with mental health conditions, service providers, employers, and community agencies.

Janil said that in general, participants were supportive of the preliminary recommendations, and provided useful suggestions on the refinement of implementation details of the recommendations.

The taskforce will incorporate the feedback gathered into the development of a national strategy for mental health and well-being, aimed to be released at the end of 2023.

Care model with tiered system of services

To facilitate better access and smoother transitions for users of mental health services in the social and health sectors, the taskforce recommends implementing a care model with a tiered system of services to reflect the different groups of clients with varying mental health needs and the types of mental health services, providers and para-professionals/professionals required to meet those needs.

Janil explained:

"This is a framework that matches the level of care to the severity of the mental health need.

The model is based on the idea that different individuals have different levels of mental health needs at different times, and interventions can be tailored to meet each person’s specific needs. The tiers differ in their levels of care intensity."

For the general public, this care model will help them identify the appropriate level of service required.

For service providers, it will serve to guide them on service provision, referrals, and care coordination among agencies.

National mental health competency training framework

"For the tiered care model to be implemented effectively, there is a need to ensure adequate competencies and standards amongst all mental health practitioners," Janil continued.

To complement the tiered care model, the taskforce is developing a national mental health competency training framework to establish a common set of training standards and clearly defined competencies expected of mental health professionals and para-professionals who support individuals with varying mental health needs.

The framework will outline the competencies needed and recommended training programmes available, both for members of the public who are keen to be equipped with skills to serve as peer supporters in the community as well as mental health para-professionals/professionals, to uplift mental health capabilities across the care continuum.

Improving attitudes towards mental health

Janil added that for the care model and competency training framework to have real impact, there needs to be a "proper understanding and perception" towards mental health issues, as well as a willingness to seek help when needed.

Public education campaigns such as Health Promotion Board (HPB)'s "It's OKAY to Reach Out" and National Council of Social Service's "Beyond The Label" campaigns have been rolled out to encourage individuals to seek help for mental health and well-being, and destigmatise mental health issues.

The taskforce will continue with efforts to normalise conversations on mental health and well-being in the community.

It will continue to bring together diverse partners and stakeholders to shape mental health policies and strategies, spearhead initiatives, proliferate resources, and create a conducive environment for ground-up initiatives to thrive.

"We will also continue to explore other options to coordinate national efforts on mental health and well-being, such as considering the value of establishing a central coordination office," said Janil.

Top image by Tim Mossholder via Unsplash.