More phone lines, new Buddhist teaching to address youth suicide: Deputy Minister
Responding to three demands for improved mental health services for young people, the deputy minister of public health on Friday said he would double the number of suicide prevention lines as well as introduce a programme of Buddhist teaching.
Experts and community groups marked Mental Health Day yesterday (October 18) by sending a letter to the Public Health department after learning that some children and youth under age 18 cannot access mental health treatment.
The Thai Mental Health Network and children and youth representatives from Lovecare Club submitted the letter to Deputy Minister of Public Health Satit Pitutecha at the National Health Security Office (NHSO).
The petitioners requested three actions. First, that Public Health Ministry appoint the Department of Mental Health to submit a circular letter to their affiliated service departments involved in treatment services, directing that they allow children and youth under 18 years to get treatment without permission of parents or guardians except in a case in which the patient must be admitted to hospital or a treatment centre.
The second demand is that patients be allowed to receive treatment from all service departments that offer mental treatment service, in order to reduce the steps involved in transferring patients. Third, the Ministry must appoint children and youth representatives to mental health boards and committed to aid in solving the issues regarding mental health for younger people.
Satit responded that the first and third suggestions could be implemented but the second demand requires discussions with related departments.
“I admit that the number of children and youth that have mental problems has increased due to many factors, such as education, economy, family, the technology being used and politics,” said Satit.
“Thailand found that there are 53,000 people attempting suicide yearly, or 9.55 persons per minute, and 4,000 succeed in killing themselves, or one death every two hours. We found the trend of people under 30 years who have self-harmed is increasing.”
He said that Public Health Ministry will allocate budget to increase to 20 the number of lines to the mental health call centre 1323 from the current 10 lines.
“In order to help children and young people to overcome problems, we will also use Buddhist teachings to provide them with knowledge, which will come into effect in 2020.”