Data on Referrals Made by Mainstream Schools to REACH Programme and Breakdown of Referred Cases by Age

53 Ms He Ting Ru asked the Minister for Education (a) in each of the last five years, how many referrals were made by mainstream schools to the Response, Early Intervention and Assessment in Community Mental Health (REACH) programme for more specialised support; and (b) what was the breakdown of referred cases by age.

Mr Desmond Lee: Schools refer students to the Response, Early Intervention and Assessment in Community Mental Health (REACH) for students requiring mental health services.

Over the past five years, REACH has received an average of 1,300 referrals per year from the Ministry of Education's schools for specialised support. The referral rates are similar across age groups, at about 0.3% at both primary and secondary school levels, and 0.2% at pre-university levels.