Where to get mental health help and support

From work and school stress to potentially debilitating conditions like schizophrenia, mental health issues cover a wide spectrum. Here’s a look at where different groups can get help, and the support the Government provides.

Youth

• Those aged 18 to 29 form the largest group with poor mental health.

• More than 7,000 young people were assessed to be at risk of developing mental health conditions by Chat, formerly known as the Community Health Assessment Team.

• Community mental health teams have supported more than 90,000 young people and parents as at September 2023.

• Intermediate residential facility to be developed for youth aged 10 to 19 at risk of suicide or severe self-harm.

Seniors

• Sixty-five of 73 Community Outreach Teams, known as Crest, provide support for seniors at risk of developing mental health conditions.

• Silver Generation Ambassadors can share resources with those reluctant to seek help due to the fear of mental health stigma.

Caregivers

• Crest can help caregivers with self-care, stress management and future planning.

• Six Caregiver Crest teams have supported more than 2,300 caregivers as at September 2023.

• Subsidies are available for caregiving training.

Women

• National University Hospital (NUH) offers antenatal and postnatal mental health screening, while KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital (KKH) provides routine postnatal depression screening.

• NUH will extend its mental health screening to fathers and husbands.

• KKH has set up a service to support women dealing with trauma from physical or sexual harm.

Persons with disabilities

• The Ministry of Health (MOH) has collaborated with the College of Family Physicians Singapore to equip general practitioners with skills to care for those with intellectual disabilities.

• MOH piloted a specialist outreach team from the Institute of Mental Health to offer home-based care for those with intellectual disabilities and complex health needs.

Keeping mental health support affordable

Outpatient treatment

• Eligible patients can receive subsidies of up to 75 per cent at polyclinics and public specialist clinics.

• Community Health Assist Scheme, Pioneer Generation and Merdeka Generation card holders with depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia can get subsidies of up to $540 a year under the Chronic Disease Management Programme.

• Patients can use up to $500 or $700 from MediSave each year at selected clinics, depending on the complexity of their condition.

• Those aged 60 and above can use an additional $300 a year from Flexi-MediSave to offset out-of-pocket expenses.

Inpatient treatment

• Patients can claim up to $160 per day, capped at 60 days a year, from MediShield Life.

• They can claim up to $150 per day from MediSave, within an annual MediSave limit of $5,000.

Lower-income Singaporeans

• Those who need more help can apply for MediFund, a safety net for needy Singaporeans.