How Children in Singapore receive mental health services?
by Nori Sarman, Psychotherapist, Clinical Consulting Systems
Very often I was approached and asked by my American counterparts about how Singaporean children receive mental services. Here I would like to share my insight about this issue and hope it will provide some clarity for those who are curious and seeking to understand.
In 2011, it was estimated that more than 1 in 10 primary school kids in Singapore have emotional and behavioral problems (The Straits Times, Jan 27, 2011). With the increasing number of cases of troubled children in school, the Institute of Mental Health (IMH) has decided to introduce a program that gives school counselors access to a team of experts, which consists of nurses, psychiatrists, psychologists, medical social workers and therapists. The focus is to provide earlier intervention for these troubled children. The program structure goes like this: Once a school counselor has identified a student with behavior and/or mental health issues, he/she will inform the IMH. After which, a meeting will be arranged for the team of experts to meet the student and his/her parents to discuss ways to help the child or to give suggestions to the school counselor and parents on strategies to manage the child. Also, the parents may be referred to social services to hone their parenting skills. Family doctors may also be roped in to look after some children who need medication. The different parties keep one another posted on their progress through phone calls, email and meetings.
As a psychotherapist who manages cases and work directly with individuals with learning difficulties such as attention hyperactivity disorder, anxiety disorders, executive skills dysfunction, etc.. I must say there is evidence that this multi-disciplinary approach has been effective in providing holistic intervention and support for the troubled children and their families. Of course, effective collaboration is not only limited to services available locally in Singapore. All parents want the best for their children. Moreover, with increasing globalization and Internet connectivity, information and knowledge are readily available at a click of a button. Hence, parents are more aware and well informed to pick up signs of behavior and mental health issues displayed by their children and the various effective treatments available. An example of my recent international collaboration is one with a board certified behavior analyst from the United States. We have successfully helped a teenage boy with Autism in Singapore, and his family managed the teenager’s anxiety and behavioral meltdown through educational therapy and home support behavioral management programs. We both worked directly with the child and his parents through online Skype consultation. The child’s behavior has improved tremendously; from 3 reported meltdown instances every week for the last six months down to zero. We taught the parents on how to observe and collect data on the child’s behavior. We collated all data, analyzed and identified the trigger for the behavioral problem. As such, the solution that was provided to the parents was evidence-based. This successful online service provided demonstrates the trend of expanding global community where practical expertise could be tapped not just locally but internationally. In this case, the one who benefits the most from this international collaboration is the child.
In conclusion, there are many ways for Singaporean children to receive mental health services, in particular with the current fast global Internet connection. The only presumed hindrance perhaps is the assumption of the high cost. The truth is, one would be surprised about how reasonable international online mental health services could be. Like my mother used to say, “If you never ask, you will never know.”
