SINGAPORE: In his speech at the Samaritans of Singapore’s (SOS) 55th Anniversary Charity Gala Dinner on May 4, 2024, Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong acknowledged the organisation’s crucial role in suicide prevention and also highlighted the government’s commitment to addressing the growing mental health concerns, particularly among younger Singaporeans.
Emphasising the critical importance of mental health, especially among young people, DPM Wong highlighted the need for increased focus on this demographic, echoing global concerns about the impact of technology like smartphones and social media.
“It is relevant for all ages, but we are also looking at the mental health of our young people in particular because something has changed over the course of the last ten years or so.
And it’s changed not just in Singapore, but around the world,” said DPM Wong during the Charity Gala Dinner held at One Farrer Hotel.
“There has been an increase of mental health concerns amongst young people worldwide.
It’s happening in countries everywhere, even in Nordic countries where they are consistently ranked high in global happiness and well-being surveys. You see the same trend, young people, mental health issues, all going up in the last few years.”
DPM Wong identified a hypothesis, which some people have been highlighting and gaining some traction, that the rise in mental health concerns among young people might be linked to a shift towards a screen-based childhood compared to more traditional play-based childhood experiences.
“For a long time, independent, free play has been embraced as an important role in healthy child development because children can stretch their imaginations, learn social skills like conflict resolution and cooperation, and also develop motor skills. So free play is good for kids.
But nowadays, instead of going out to play, children are more likely to be glued to the screens of smartphones and tablets.” added DPM Wong.
Focusing on Singapore’s proactive approach, DPM Wong noted the existing policy of phone-free classrooms across all schools.
This ensures students leave their phones outside during class time, minimising distractions and promoting a focused learning environment.
“It’s a big problem in some countries where children are allowed to bring their phones right into the classrooms, and so they are completely distracted and pay very little attention to their teachers.
This is already the case in Singapore, and we are continuing to see what additional safeguards we can put in place, including recently working with the major tech platforms to introduce robust age requirements on their services, starting with their app stores, such as Apple’s App Store and Google’s Play Store, so that children do not download and access age-inappropriate apps,” explained the Deputy Prime Minister.
DPM Wong also emphasised the need to dismantle the stigma surrounding mental health, as it prevents individuals from seeking help due to shame, isolation, and a reduction of their struggles to mere labels. This stigma exacerbates an already complex issue.
“Fortunately, we see attitudes changing for the better. In the past, people would deal with mental health issues privately. Today, people are more informed and more willing to talk about this openly.
But stigma remains, and we can do more to build a society where we help one another cope with life’s stressors. Where we are considerate of others’ feelings, and carve out safe spaces for them.
We have set up an SG Mental Well-being Network, we have been linking up with many groups and volunteers, to address the diverse needs of our people, and provide more safe spaces, including for young people to talk about their mental health struggles,” mentioned DPM Wong.
In October 2023, the Inter-agency Taskforce on Mental Health and Well-being, led by Dr Janil Puthucheary, unveiled the National Mental Health and Well-being Strategy.
This comprehensive framework focuses on four key pillars: expanding the capacity of mental health services, enhancing the capabilities of service providers for early identification and intervention, promoting mental health and well-being, and improving workplace mental health and well-being.
In a parliamentary speech earlier in February in support of the Parliamentary Motion Debate on Advancing Mental Health, Dr Puthucheary said:
“In addition, over 450 general practitioners in GP clinics are trained to support persons with mental health needs under the Mental Health General Practitioner Partnership.”
“To ensure that more patients with common mental health conditions, such as anxiety and depression, have access to mental health services in a primary care setting, we aim to make these services available in all polyclinics and 1,350 Healthier SG GP clinics by 2030,” added the Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Health.
Currently, 19 out of the 25 polyclinics provide mental health services. These services are helmed by multidisciplinary teams that include family physicians, psychologists, medical social workers, and nurses.
Singapore currently boasts 29 Community Intervention Teams offering mental health assessments and support, with four specifically dedicated to youths.
This number is set to significantly increase by 2030, with the aim of expanding the number of teams to 50, with 15 catering to youths.
The Ministry of Health is currently working with the Agency for Integrated Care to publicise these services so that more people can benefit from these community-based mental health services.