The recent wave of student suicides has attracted much public attention. The government introduced the “Three-Tier School-based Emergency Mechanism” at the end of last year to identify and support students at high risk of suicide. Before and after this, the education, social service, and medical sectors have implemented various measures and services regarding support of students with mental stress. This issue of the Policy Bulletin is based on interviews with secondary school principals, youth social workers from different units, and organizations promoting mental health. Here is a brief overview:

• A secondary school principal believes the emergency mechanism is useful and encourages schools to make necessary arrangements to accommodate students in need, as well as to promote a more inclusive campus culture;
• Youth service units of social service organizations have designed various programs to allow adolescents seeking help for mental distress free of stigma. These units have also effectively utilized their facilities as places for adolescents to find relief; and
• A social enterprise promotes mental health and reduce stigma with stories and events, both online and offline.

Furthermore, this issue also introduces Singapore’s mental health strategy, with its key features of multiple-tier intervention, community support, and cross-sector collaboration. 

As the government is currently reviewing the emergency mechanism concerning the issue, this issue of Policy Bulletin is expected to enrich public discussion, enable schools to understand that the community has plenty of resources to support students’ needs, allow agencies providing youth service to exchange experiences. In the end, we can collectively build a stigma-free environment, and encourage adolescents to seek help early.

Feel free to download a full copy of the Policy Bulletin Issue 37 here. To obtain a hard copy or for other enquiries, please contact our officer (Policy Research and Advocacy) Mr. Yick at [email protected] or 2864 2906.