Bridging Gap Between Mental Health Awareness and Help-Seeking Behaviours Through Earlier Policy Intervention Approaches

18 Dr Choo Pei Ling asked the Coordinating Minister for Social Policies and Minister for Health (a) whether the Ministry has studied the gap between mental health awareness and actual help-seeking behaviour among Singaporeans; (b) what factors may explain this gap; and (c) how are mental health policies evolving to support earlier intervention before individuals require more intensive care.

Mr Ong Ye Kung: My response will also address the oral question filed by the Member scheduled for a subsequent Sitting.

According to two separate local studies, the proportion of residents able to recognise common mental health conditions has increased from 42% in 2015 to 59% in 2023; the proportion willing to seek help from healthcare professionals increased from 48% to 64% between 2019 and 2024, while those willing to seek help from informal support networks increased from 76% to 82%. The Ministry does not track the duration between onset of mental health awareness and actual help-seeking.

To encourage earlier help-seeking, the Ministry has been launched public education efforts, such as the National Council of Social Service's "Beyond the Label" campaign. We have also established the First Stop for Mental Health, such as the national mindline 1771, to identify individuals in distress early, and improve wayfinding to appropriate mental health support.