Guidance Provided to Mental Health Providers on Minor Referrals and Parental Consent Thresholds for Tier 2 Services

15 Ms He Ting Ru asked the Coordinating Minister for Social Policies and Minister for Health (a) what guidance has been issued to mental health service providers on accepting referrals for Tier 2 low-intensity services from minors without parental consent while the parental consent guidelines have yet to be published; and (b) what parental consent threshold are service providers currently directed to apply for Tier 2 services.

Mr Ong Ye Kung: Currently, mental health professionals who are members of the Singapore Association for Counselling, the Singapore Psychological Society and the Singapore Association of Social Workers are guided by their respective professional codes of practice to seek parental consent before providing care to minors in general.

The Ministry of Health is consulting stakeholders on our draft parental consent guidelines and will share more when ready.