Waiting Time for Children and Youths Seeking Mental Health Support
Ministry of HealthSpeakers
Summary
This question concerns the waiting times for youth mental health services and a proposal to extend these services to primary school children. Ms Nadia Ahmad Samdin asked for wait times for Youth Integrated Teams and CREST-Youth, citing risks like early digital exposure and addiction. Minister Ong Ye Kung replied that the median wait time is about one week for youths aged 12 to 25. He explained that primary students requiring specialised addiction support are referred to REACH teams or community providers like TOUCH and WE CARE. The Minister emphasized that school-based cyber wellness education remains the key strategy for managing digital usage and mental well-being in younger children.
Transcript
35 Ms Nadia Ahmad Samdin asked the Coordinating Minister for Social Policies and Minister for Health (a) what is the waiting time for children and youths seeking mental health support through the (i) Youth Integrated Team and (ii) CREST-Youth; and (b) whether the Ministry can consider lowering the age limit of these services to include primary school children, given challenges, such as early digital exposure and addiction.
Mr Ong Ye Kung: The median waiting time, from point of referral or walk-in to first mental health intervention by Youth Integrated Teams (YITs) and Youth Outreach Teams (CREST-Youth) is about a week. These teams cater to youths aged 12 to 25 years old, who are in secondary schools up to the Institutes of Higher Learning.
Children, including primary school students, who need specialised interventions for addictions may be referred by School Counsellors to the Response, Early Intervention and Assessment in Community Mental Health (REACH) teams. Alternatively, these youths may attend specialised counselling programmes offered by community service providers, such as TOUCH and WE CARE.
Education and upstream prevention through healthy lifestyle habits remain a key strategy in tackling problematic digital and technology use among children, including primary school students.
In schools, cyber wellness lessons in the Character and Citizenship Education curriculum teach students to maintain a healthy balance of online and offline activities, including managing the use of digital devices and the impact of excessive use on their mental, social and emotional well-being.