PLANS TO STRENGTHEN AND RESOURCE PEER SUPPORT STRUCTURES FOR MENTAL HEALTH

NOTICE PAPER NO. 528

NOTICE OF QUESTION FOR ORAL ANSWER

FOR THE SITTING OF PARLIAMENT ON OR AFTER 27 FEBRUARY 2026

Name and Constituency of Member of Parliament

Ms Elysa Chen

MP for Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC

Question No. 1543

To ask the Coordinating Minister for Social Policies and Minister for Health whether there are plans to strengthen and resource peer support structures for mental health in community settings and workplaces, including training, supervision and safeguards for peer supporters so that early help is more accessible while ensuring that peer supporters are not over-burdened or placed in situations beyond their competencies.

Answer

1         Sir, the Health Promotion Board (HPB) offers peer support training for Institutes of Higher Learning (IHL), workplaces, and community groups. Participants are trained to recognise peers in distress, provide active listening, and guide them to seek help early. Peer supporters also learn to practise self-care and may seek help through their own organisations’ Employee Assistance Programmes or counselling services. From this year onwards, HPB’s peer supporter training will be available in a hybrid format and offer additional modules to enhance training. Additionally, the National Council of Social Service (NCSS)’s peer support specialist programme trains persons with lived experiences to support others on their recovery journeys.

2         The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) and the Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) Council have established the Well-being Champions Network to provide workplace-appointed Champions with the necessary resources and training to better support their organisations in promoting workplace mental well-being.

3         AIC also offers online mental health awareness modules to better equip frontliners to help persons with mental health needs navigate the service landscape. In addition, platforms such as MindSG (MindSG.gov.sg) and mindline.sg provide the public with useful mental health information and resources.

4         But I must say that these resources put forth for peer support, and peer support itself is only one prompt of the kind of scaffolding we are wrapping around persons with mental health needs. This is because in addition to some of these peer support measures we're doing, member will also realise from what I said earlier in my earlier PQ, that we have platforms such as Mindline, Mind SG or mindsg.gov.sg, and mindline.sg that provide the public with useful mental health information and resources. Ultimately, peer support is meant as a scaffold to support the greater needs of the community. They are not meant to carry the burden of mental health care that professionals should be doing. So I think if a peer supporter feels that there is something beyond which his or her competency can handle, then I think these resources put forth, like mindline.sg, can be useful referral points for the peer supporter to guide the person in need to access these resources where they can receive more in-depth counseling and subsequent referral to relevant care needs and higher equity of care.

5         Thank you, sir.