MEASURES TO PREVENT SUICIDES

NOTICE PAPER NO. 2075
NOTICE OF QUESTION FOR ORAL ANSWER
FOR THE SITTING OF PARLIAMENT ON OR AFTER 3 AUGUST 2023

Name and Constituency of Member of Parliament
Mr Vikram Nair
MP for Sembawang GRC

Question No. 4947 

To ask the Minister for Health whether the Ministry is (i) taking any steps to address the 25% rise in suicide cases in 2022 and (ii) making mental health assistance more readily accessible and affordable to the public.

NOTICE PAPER NO. 2096
NOTICE OF QUESTION FOR WRITTEN ANSWER
FOR THE SITTING OF PARLIAMENT ON 2 AUGUST 2023

Name and Constituency of Member of Parliament
Ms Hazel Poa
Non-Constituency MP

Question No. 4815 

To ask the Minister for Health what measures will be taken to address the rising suicide rates especially among the young people.

NOTICE PAPER NO. 2074
NOTICE OF QUESTION FOR WRITTEN ANSWER
FOR THE SITTING OF PARLIAMENT ON 2 AUGUST 2023

Name and Constituency of Member of Parliament
Dr Wan Rizal
MP for Jalan Besar GRC

Question No. 4863 

To ask the Minister for Health in light of the recent increase in suicide rates in Singapore particularly among young people aged 20 to 29 (a) what measures are 

being taken to address this alarming trend; and (b) what strategies are being implemented to improve mental health support for this age group.

NOTICE PAPER NO. 2096
NOTICE OF QUESTION FOR WRITTEN ANSWER
FOR THE SITTING OF PARLIAMENT ON OR AFTER 3 AUGUST 2023

Name and Constituency of Member of Parliament
Dr Wan Rizal
MP for Jalan Besar GRC

Question No. 4870  

To ask the Minister for Health in view of the increase in suicide rates among seniors aged 70 to 79 (a) what additional measures are being taken to provide mental health support for the elderly population; and (b) how are social isolation and loneliness being addressed among this age group.

NOTICE PAPER NO. 2075
NOTICE OF QUESTION FOR WRITTEN ANSWER
FOR THE SITTING OF PARLIAMENT ON OR AFTER 3 AUGUST 2023

Name and Constituency of Member of Parliament
Mr Yip Hon Weng
MP for Yio Chu Kang

Question No. 4878 

To ask the Minister for Health (a) what are the mental distress indicators and suicide risk factors for the elderly; (b) how will the enhanced Active Ageing Centres and Silver Generation Office work together to support and prevent suicides among the elderly; and (c) whether the Ministry will offer dialect suicide hotlines for elderly individuals who are more comfortable expressing themselves in their native languages.

Answer

Sir, my response will also cover Written Questions 26 and 27 from yesterday’s Order Paper, and Written Questions 21 to 22 in today's Order Paper.

Sir, suicide is tragic, personal, complex and multi-faceted. It is a sensitive topic and we need to bear in mind that the nature of public discourse may affect the actions of others, especially among the young.

To address the issue of potential suicide, the best interventions include building mental resilience, encouraging help-seeking, spotting early indicators for crisis intervention, and supporting individuals who are in crisis. This approach requires help from many stakeholders.

There have been multiple initiatives introduced across agencies to raise awareness and build mental resilience. At the national level, the Health Promotion Board’s MindSG portal and the “It’s OKAY to Reach Out” campaign promote self-help and provide guidance on maintaining good mental well-being, such as managing emotions and stress. In addition, the National Council of Social

Service’s Beyond the Label movement addresses mental health stigma and promotes social inclusion for persons with mental health conditions.

To enable children and youth to take active steps in building their mental wellness, mental resilience is taught in schools through the refreshed Character and Citizenship Education curriculum. Peer support structures are also set up in all schools and Institutes of Higher Learning to help youth cope better with stress. We also recognise the important role that parents play in children’s mental well-being. HPB rolled out a campaign in 2022 to help parents better understand their child’s emotional health, identify early warning signs, and provide support for their child.

Meanwhile, in the community, Well-being Circles have been set up to strengthen community and peer support by equipping citizens with the skills to care for their own mental well-being and that of others around them. We are making a major push to engage seniors who live alone, lack social support, or are at-risk of social isolation, through our Silver Generation Ambassadors and the network of Active Ageing Centres.

Assistance is also available in the community for individuals who are in psychological distress. Community mental health teams supported by Government and set up by social service agencies provide mental health assessment and psychosocial interventions for such clients. Those requiring crisis support can access crisis helplines such as the Samaritans of Singapore Hotline and Care Text service and the Institute of Mental Health’s Mental Health Helpline. Careline, a 24/7 social support hotline, also provides social support and emergency response services to seniors in distress, and is operated by staff who can speak various dialects. Many of the above-mentioned services in the community are provided at no cost.

The Interagency Taskforce on Mental Health and Well-Being continues to review existing interventions, and is working together to enhance the quality and accessibility of mental health services. At the same time, society plays a critical role in upholding a supportive social environment, where there is little or no stigma against mental illness, where friends, family members, and individuals feel safe to seek help, where parents work with schools to address their children’s stress and challenges, and where everyone takes active steps to build up their mental well-being.