Wed, Sep 06, 2023 page2

• Ministry to add NT$78m to youth counseling funds

  SUCCESS: Of the 5,702 people who signed up for the program in the first month, 30 percent were assessed as high-risk cases and referred to healthcare facilities

  • By Lee I-chia / Staff reporter
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  The Ministry of Health and Welfare yesterday announced that it has allocated an additional NT$78.44 million (US$2.46 million) to its youth counseling program, with 16,341 more people expected to benefit.

  The program offers three mental health counseling sessions to people aged 15 to 30.

  The one-year program was launched on Aug. 1 and was enthusiastically supported, meaning the available booking slots were quickly filled, so the original NT$28.8 million budget was falling short, Deputy Minister of Health Lee Li-feng (李麗芬) said.

  

  Deputy Minister of Health Lee Li-feng speaks at a news conference on May 15.

  Photo: Chu Pei-hsiung, Taipei Times

  The additional funding would ensure the program would not come to a halt, Lee said.

  The main goals of the program — which now has 383 contracted facilities — are to encourage young people to seek help, create a positive perception of mental health counseling and improve referrals of high-risk individuals for medical treatment, Department of Mental Health Director Chen Liang-yu (陳亮妤) said.

  In the first month, 5,702 people participated in 10,278 counseling sessions and 57 percent of the original budget was used, she said, adding that 95 percent of the budget would be used if they complete their three counseling sessions.

  Of the participants, 57 percent visited counseling clinics, while 25 percent visited psychology clinics, Chen said.

  The male to female ratio was about 1:2.8, which is similar to the global trend, and approximately 70 percent of participants were aged 24 to 30, while 6.2 percent were aged 15 to 17, she said.

  “Among the participants, 1,710 people [30 percent] were assessed as high-risk cases and referred to healthcare facilities for medical assistance,” she said.

  With the additional NT$78.44 million, the program’s total budget would be NT$107.24 million, and 22,341 young people would be able to receive three counseling sessions, she added.

  Several supplementary rules would be added to the program, including that the three counseling sessions should not span more than three months and any two sessions should be no more than one month apart, Chen said.

  Local health departments should announce at least two weeks in advance when available booking slots are likely to be filled, and should also publish the number of remaining slots on their Web sites every week, she said.

  The local authority should also be flexible to a degree in readjusting their mental health resources according to actual operational conditions, she said, adding that if bookings are full, the contracted facilities should help refer young people to community mental health centers or counseling service stations.

  Taipei Veterans General Hospital psychiatrist Li Cheng-ta (李正達) said that the symptoms, comorbidities and long-term effects of depression are not the same for adolescents and adults.

  Adolescents tend to find it harder to express their emotions, and their symptoms might be “atypical,” such as irritability, anger and extreme sensitivity, rather than sadness, Li said.

  Adolescents with depression are more likely to have somatic symptoms, such as headaches, stomach aches or general discomfort, and might exhibit agitation or impulsive behavior, he said.

  They are more likely to have comorbidities such as anxiety, substance addiction and conduct disorders, and have more of a chance of developing negative long-term effects regarding their cognitive and personality development, as well as relations with peers and family, he said.

  Studies have suggested that adolescents with depression are two to seven times more likely to have depression during adulthood, and have a higher risk of developing chronic depression or bipolar disorder, meaning early detection and intervention are crucial, Li said.

  Taipei Counseling Psychologist Association chairperson Carol Lan (藍挹丰), also a board member of the Taiwan Counseling Psychologist Union, said the program’s three free counseling sessions serve as “a window” for establishing a trusting relationship with young people and screening high-risk individuals for medical intervention.

  Taipei City Hospital Songde Branch superintendent Huang Ming-chyi (黃名琪) said the program makes it easier for young people to “take the first step” and try mental health counseling.

  Some participants reported that it helped them gain awareness about their mental health condition, realize that they are not alone, learn when and how to seek help and how to take steps to prevent mental illness, Huang said.
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