MOH emphasises mental health prevention, tackling tech impact on youth*

*MOH emphasises mental health prevention, tackling tech impact on youth*

   

https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/health/moh-emphasises-mental-health-prevention-tackling-tech-impact-on-youth

2026-04-25

SINGAPORE - Rebalancing resources towards prevention and addressing the impact of technology on adolescents are key mental health priorities for the Ministry of Health (MOH) here, as the prevalence of mental health conditions continues to spike around the world, said Health Minister Ong Ye Kung on April 24.

Speaking at the WorkWell Leaders Awards 2026, Mr Ong said the ministry was moving to allocate more resources towards preventing mental health issues, correcting a balance that now tilts towards funding hospitalisation and treatments.

Singapore operates on a four-tier mental health framework, with prevention and early intervention at Tier 1 and 2, where the majority of the population’s needs lie. Currently, most resources are concentrated at Tier 4, which is for intensive inpatient services at institutions such as the Institute of Mental Health (IMH), which has 2,000 beds, he said.

“One of our priorities is to realign the resources so that Tier 1 and Tier 2 get a lot more support, because prevention is now the order of the day,” Mr Ong said at the event, organised by local charity Workwell Leaders, to recognise leadership that successfully advances organisational well-being. It was held at Conrad Singapore Marina Bay.

He also reiterated the Government’s commitment to tackling the impact of technology and social media on adolescents.

There is merit to banning social media, as many countries have said they are going to do, but the move also has its downsides, said Mr Ong.

An expert panel formed by MOH to study the issue found that the problem is not social media itself, but factors such as the lack of a robust age verification feature, the autoplay function, which keeps users continually scrolling, and the fact that adults who are strangers can directly message young people.

“Another way to look at it, we would not rule out banning but on the other hand, let’s also discuss with the tech companies on the features that may be harmful to our children, so that we can protect their mental well-being,” he said.

MOH is collaborating closely with the Ministry of Digital Development and Information on this.

Mr Ong said the support of corporations would contribute to the success of Singapore’s focus on mental health prevention efforts.

Supervisors, he said, should be equipped with basic mental health-related skills.

“It is not just to provide mental health first aid, (but) so that when you see someone with a mental health challenge, it is not different from someone with a chronic disease,” he said.

The training will equip a peer, a supervisor or the human resources team with the skills to support someone with a mental health challenge.

To support the mental well-being and resilience of employees, organisational leaders are responsible for creating an inclusive and safe workplace that removes any stigma surrounding mental health.

“For example, it is still common that during an interview for a new hire, they will be asked: ‘Do you have a mental health issue?’” said Mr Ong.

Some companies still keep a record of their employees’ mental health history, he noted.

“So, we’ve got to think through how to do this. Maybe it is in the record, but it should be something out of concern, rather than as... something that can be held against the staff.”

Mr Ong said going to work should not be a chore and companies can help by giving their employees purpose.

Ms Anthea Ong, founder and chairperson of WorkWell Leaders, with guest of honour Ong Ye Kung, Minister for Health and Coordinating Minister for Social Policies, at the WorkWell Leaders Awards 2026 at Conrad Singapore Marina Bay on April 24. ST PHOTO: ARIFFIN JAMAR

He said: “My company is a platform for me to do good, to have agency in my life, to serve customers, to bring happiness to other people, teach, to cure, to treat, to comfort, sell something delightful to others, to service, and that sense of purpose is actually so integral to mental well-being.”

Accenture was a major recipient of the WorkWell Leaders Awards 2026, winning three awards: the Wellbeing Organisation of the Year, the Thriving Culture Award, and the Wellbeing CEO Award, which went to its country managing director for Accenture Singapore, Mr Mark Tham.

Other winners included IMH for the Wellbeing Innovation Award and Singapore Pools for the Strategic Wellbeing Award.

Dr Cheah Nuan Ping, laboratory director for the pharmaceutical division of the Applied Sciences Group at the Health Sciences Authority, was honoured with the Wellbeing Catalyst Award. 

More On This Topic

Workplace fairness law, support for families feature in Singapore’s report to UN

Singapore to prioritise early mental health support: Koh Poh Koon

陈诗佳：以创意方式应对老龄化

陈诗佳：以创意方式应对老龄化

陈诗佳：以创意方式应对老龄化

https://www.zaobao.com.sg/forum/views/story20260424-8941305?utm_source=android-share&utm_medium=app

2026-04-24

作者是美术教育工作者

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我们常常把应对老龄化问题集中在医、食、住、行四方面，如果只停留在这一步，那就低估老年人对生活的渴望。一个人老了，不代表他只想“活着”，他也想“生活”。

在咖啡店、食阁、组屋楼下，常常能听见有人这样说：“哎呀，我老了，不中用了，出门都怕跌倒。”又或者：“我妈妈现在一个人住，每次打电话都担心她在家里会出事。”这些看似平常的感叹，真真切切折射出一个正在加速到来的社会现实——人口老龄化。

和许多发达社会一样，新加坡正面临银发海啸的冲击。数据显示，到2030年，每四人当中就有一人是65岁以上的长者，各行各业随处可见银发工作者的身影。放眼中国，60岁以上的人口已经超过2亿8000万 。把目光投向日本，情况更为严峻，65岁以上的老年人占比已经接近30%，位居全球第一。

我们的城市准备好迎接这场“银色风暴”了吗？事实是，我们似乎停留在为年轻人设计的思维里。我们需要的是在保持世界级快节奏的同时，让这座城市同样对长者友善、富有人文关怀，走向“长者优先”。新加坡在照顾年长者方面确实做了很多，例如建屋发展局推出的“乐龄易计划”，为长者家庭安装扶手、坡道和防滑地砖，让年长居民能够安全而有尊严地生活。

然而，我们须要的是一场彻底的“适老化改造”，这不只是加几个扶手、装几部电梯那么简单，而是要从长者的角度重新思考城市该怎么运作。在科技方面，我们必须保留线下服务窗口，同时开发更适合长者使用的数码产品，字体要大、操作要简单，最好还能一键求助。成都推出的“老年人一键通”服务，让长者按下一个键，就能预约挂号、叫车、订餐，这才是科技该有的温度。

新加坡在帮助老人家出行方面，做出好些贴心的改变，例如马路红绿灯增设更长的通行时间，老人家只须拿出乐龄卡，在感应器上轻轻一碰，就能延长过路时间，不必再慌慌张张地赶着过马路。这个小小的举措，体现的是对长者尊严的照顾。但还可以做得更多，比如在日本，东京地铁站到处都有大大的标识、缓慢的电动扶梯，还有受过培训的工作人员专门照顾年长乘客。更贴心的是，他们有小型社区巴士，穿梭在住宅区和商场之间，解决长者“最后一里路”的难题。我们的公共交通也应该继续朝这个方向努力：降低巴士台阶、增加语音报站、优化换乘路线，让长者重新找回出门的勇气。

然而，应对老龄化不只是解决“生存”和“出行”的问题，如何让长者的心灵得到滋养，让他们活得有品质、有乐趣，同样重要。然而， 我们常常把应对老龄化问题集中在医、食、住、行四方面——医院要多、药要便宜、房子要装扶手、巴士要低台阶。这些当然重要，但如果只停留在这一步，那就低估老年人对生活的渴望。一个人老了，不代表他只想“活着”，他也想“生活”，也想学习新事物、交朋友、被看见、被需要。

这时候，教育与人文艺术就有不可替代的价值。2025年11月，新加坡举行一场别具意义的乐龄艺术大会（Ageing Artfully Conference）研讨会，由圣路加乐龄关怀与南洋艺术学院联合举办，巧妙地将艺术与社区护理结合，以创意、联系与关怀重新定义老龄化。六个工作坊、14位演讲者，让参与者从“探索、实验、表达”中发掘新视角。南艺作为本地顶尖艺术学府，将创意能量带入乐龄护理领域，让长者不再只是被动接受照顾，而是可以拿起画笔、参与戏剧、动手创作。艺术不再是年轻人的专利，而是连接世代、治愈心灵的桥梁。

这个例子告诉我们：应对老龄化，方式可以很有创意。教育从来不只是年轻人的事，长者同样可以上书法课、学数码摄影、听历史讲座。这些看似“非必要”的东西，恰恰是让晚年生活有尊严、有盼头的关键。一座真正对长者友好的城市，不能只有轮椅坡道和乐龄卡，还要有画室、剧场、课室和音乐厅。人生的后半场，不应该是静悄悄退场的，而应该是继续发光发热、继续探索、继续成长的。

许多城市规划学者不约而同地认为，衡量一座城市的文明程度，不是看它的最高建筑有多高，而是看它如何对待最脆弱的群体。面对这场不可避免的银发浪潮，我们的城市不能再原地踏步。从红绿灯多出来的那几秒钟，到社区里的一场艺术工作坊；从一间无障碍厕所，到一堂专为长者开设的绘画课——每一份用心的改变，都能让这座城市多一份温暖。

毕竟，我们每个人都在变老的路上，善待今天的他们，就是善待明天的自己。

作者是美术教育工作者

联合早报社论 2026-04-24：社论：执教鞭止住校园霸凌恶风

社论：执教鞭止住校园霸凌恶风

https://www.zaobao.com.sg/forum/editorial/story20260424-8943355?utm_source=android-share&utm_medium=app

2026-04-24

教育部上周宣布针对校园霸凌问题完成全面检讨，提出四大方向、九项建议的行动方案，今年起分阶段落实，明年全面实施。方案一大特点是制定和采取一致的严格标准，按照分级处分框架，来对霸凌者，包括初犯、重犯与屡犯者，实行留堂、停课和一至三下鞭打等处罚。校方还可以根据需求获得资助，外聘人手协助教师处理霸凌等纪律问题。

这个框架，明确赋予校方处置霸凌问题的权威，也有助于全国各校管理者与教师统一在霸凌事件中的处理流程与立场，对于个别“惯犯”或跃跃欲试的学生，这是清楚的“零容忍”信号，并能产生心理震慑效果。

这套框架也同时强调价值观与校园文化的重要性，包含强化品格与公民教育、深化校园的友善与尊重文化，以及培育同侪文化，相互照应等等，可谓软硬兼施，预防与治疗兼备。

教育部长李智陞明确指出，除了纪律处分，处理校园霸凌更关键在于落实“上游预防”，也就是学生的品格与公民教育，提升同理心和应对冲突的能力，与理解自身行为对他人的影响。这是必须重视的人格教育环节，除了让孩子及时分辨本身的是非对错，也能避免负面情绪积累，或错误的是非观在孩子心中深化，进而在出社会后积非成是，演变成社会问题。

此外，通报与介入机制、学校职员能力提升与补充、强化学校家庭与社区伙伴关系等等，都有助于减少有形无形的伤害行为，还给学校和谐友爱的学习环境。

教育部数据显示，从2021年至2025年，每千名小学生的霸凌事件从两起增加到三起，中学生则从六起增加到八起，趋势令人关注。去年发生在盛港康林小学的霸凌事件引发社会警惕，教育部在经过广泛咨询与全面审视之后，制定这一框架性方案。一些家长欢迎更严格的校园管理与惩处分级，让孩子受到更好的保护，但也有人怀疑藤条下能否端正校风，甚至质问会不会产生副作用。

校园霸凌是个老问题，来自不同家庭背景、不同性格的孩子长时间在一起相处，其中有的孩子年少无知或血气方刚，依仗体形或朋党优势，欺凌或排斥弱者和与己不同者，反映出未经教化之“恶”，但这也正是教育要纠正的终极目的。

很多国际研究都显示，霸凌问题除了源于施暴者的人格特质，与外在氛围（包括校方干预能力不足或容忍度过高）有直接关系，而塑造施暴者与受害者性格的家庭，也是重要风险源头。

心理学上有种种关于原生家庭问题导致孩子长期在错误价值观的环境下成长，习惯以暴力解决问题的研究结论，因此主张以引导、教育、感化为主，坚信“打”不出好孩子，这无疑是正确的。但在另一方面，当少年儿童进入学校后，若霸凌弱小并重犯、屡犯，校方与老师就有责任保护被霸凌者，惩戒霸凌者，维持校园秩序。而让少年儿童及早认识到自身行为的后果，学习到公理与秩序在社会上的强大存在，也是一种很必要的教育。

在汉语中，“教鞭”一词的构成，就富含教育在东方文化中的古典意义——为师者身兼“教”和“管”的双重责任与神圣使命。理论上，家长和校方对于管教孩子的教育理念应该一致，才能让教育制度发挥效果，但在现实中，随着互联网的发达，今天的家长除了到学校投诉，也会在网上抱怨学校与老师，这无形中也对教育者带来了心理负担，损害了教师管教的信心。

现代教育工作者更在意家长甚至社会观感。教育程度普遍更高的今日家长，理应给予学校更大的支持和信任，而非反其道而行之，增加教育人员的困扰。教育部为校园霸凌等纪律问题提供明确的指导方针，以及标本兼治的全面行动，意义就是让学校与教师减去“执教鞭”的负担，同时也让家长放心，校方对纪律问题的处理，会按照统一规范进行。

每一个成年人在教育的雕琢过程中都有责任，包括家长必须言传身教，师长有纠错和引导的责任，看到霸凌行为，人人有举报或制止的义务。每教好一个孩子，就意味着社会少一个恶霸，也就少了受害者。校园里的教鞭若能发挥作用，监狱里的刑鞭就能搁置一旁。

World Book and Copyright Day: 23 April

23 April is World Book and Copyright Day.

ACP: As more Singaporeans age with smaller families - end-of-life planning must evolve

As more Singaporeans age with smaller families - end-of-life planning must evolve

The systems and norms continue to assume a central role for family members, even when the reality is often very different.

2026-04-21

https://str.sg/s9tf

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As Singapore advances its vision of ageing well, preparing for end-of-life care must reflect the realities of smaller families, shrinking kin networks and more diverse living arrangements, says the writer. PHOTO: ADOBE STOCK

As more Singaporeans age with smaller families, end-of-life planning must evolve

The systems and norms continue to assume a central role for family members, even when the reality is often very different.

Bussarawan Teerawichitchainan

When Emily (not her real name), a healthy woman in her mid-50s, chose end-of-life planning, she was not motivated by fear. It was foresight. She had watched a family member endure prolonged medical uncertainty without clear instructions. Without children of her own and never having married, she wanted to ensure that her values and wishes would be known.

Planning early, she felt, was a way of taking responsibility – both for herself and for those who might one day have to speak on her behalf.

Emily’s story is not unusual. As families shrink and childlessness rises, more Singaporeans will reach later life without spouses or children who can advocate for them during medical crises.

Advance Care Planning (ACP) allows healthy individuals to record their healthcare preferences. For instance, they may wish to receive life-sustaining treatment such as resuscitation. The individual can designate someone to speak for them if they lose mental capacity, typically through facilitated discussions with trained professionals and formal documentation, with some options also available through the recently launched online myACP platform.

However, while Singapore has been at the forefront in Asia in promoting ACP, the system and norms still largely assume that family members will play a central role. As family structures evolve, planning systems must adapt as well.

Ageing without close kin

Much of Singapore’s demographic conversation understandably centres on the country’s persistently low fertility rate and how policies might encourage marriage and childbearing.

Yet demographic change is also reshaping the other end of the life course. About 15 per cent of Singaporeans aged 60 and older are childless, and among women born in the early 1970s, roughly one in four remains childless – placing Singapore among countries with the highest levels of permanent childlessness.

Many have never married and may be ageing without close kin. As families become smaller, more Singaporeans will move into older age with fewer relatives to rely on for support or decision-making.

In a nationwide study of Singaporeans aged 50 and above, my colleagues and I found that childless Singaporeans are often more proactive in end-of-life planning than those with children. Childless individuals in our sample were more likely than parents to have initiated either formal documentation or informal discussions about their end-of-life preferences.

Childless women stood out in particular. They were the most likely to engage in planning – through conversations, formal documentation, or both. Many described motivations rooted in lived experience: having witnessed family crises, having cared for ageing parents, or wanting to avoid burdening siblings and relatives. Like Emily, they often saw such planning as part of a broader ethic of responsibility and self-reliance.

Planning patterns among childless men were more mixed. While some were proactive, others felt little urgency or cited financial strain. These differences partly reflect broader life course pathways to childlessness in Singapore, where women’s childlessness is more often linked to partnership patterns such as delayed and forgone marriage, while men’s childlessness is more closely associated with economic disadvantage.

No one to speak for them

Importantly, the study also highlights barriers that extend beyond individual motivation. A recurring challenge for childless individuals was the difficulty of identifying a trusted proxy decision-maker.

Some hesitated to appoint siblings who were close in age. Others were reluctant to rely fully on friends, reflecting the enduring cultural preference for kin-based decision-making.

Misunderstandings about ACP further complicated matters. Some childless individuals conflated ACP with costly legal procedures, or assumed it was relevant only for the wealthy or the seriously ill. Others associated it primarily with decisions about withdrawing life support, rather than understanding it as an ongoing conversation about values, preferences and care goals.

Such perceptions can discourage engagement or lead to partial planning, where documentation is completed without discussion, or vice versa.

These findings suggest that as family structures evolve, ACP frameworks must evolve as well. The goal is not simply to increase uptake, but to ensure that planning processes are inclusive and responsive to diverse family realities.

How frameworks can be improved

Start conversations about what you want your end-of-life care to look like while you’re healthy, not just when you’re in crisis. Weaving these discussions into regular doctor visits and community programmes could change how people see them.

People sometimes confuse ACP with complicated legal documents and worry it will cost a fortune. Clear public messaging should explain what it actually is – a straightforward, supported conversation. That alone could ease a lot of unnecessary anxiety.

Many people find choosing someone outside the family to make decisions on their behalf difficult, especially those without close family. Better guidance and stronger protections are needed to ensure these preferences are recognised and acted upon.

As more adults find themselves without traditional family support, helping them find trusted decision-makers will matter more than ever.

Men and people balancing caregiving responsibilities with other demands often don’t think about long-term planning in the same way others do. Reaching them through workplaces and community groups – tailored to their circumstances – could bring them into these conversations.

ACP is not about dwelling on death. It is about ensuring that one’s voice is heard at moments when one cannot speak for oneself.

As Singapore advances its vision of ageing well, preparing for end-of-life care must reflect the realities of smaller families, shrinking kin networks and more diverse living arrangements.

Making ACP work for everyone matters. It’s about respecting people and giving them real clarity about what comes next.

Bussarawan Teerawichitchainan is an associate professor of sociology at the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, National University of Singapore, and a 2025-2026 Fellow at the Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University.

S'pore's 24-hour lifeline for your mental health - Call phone Number 1771 -- Whether you're a student - caregiver or someone feeling overwhelmed - national mindline 1771 provides a confidential space to talk round the clock

*Call 1771: S'pore's 24-hour lifeline for your mental health* 

An advertorial brought to you by Institute of Mental Health

(NHG Health) and 1771 national mindline

*Whether you're a student, caregiver or someone feeling overwhelmed, national mindline 1771 provides a confidential space to talk round the clock*

========

Advertorial 

The Sunday Times 

2026-04-19

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One teenager called himself a "walking curse". An online screening tool suggested he might have depression, yet he kept the result to himself, afraid of burdening his parents.

Another, a young child, felt "sad and left out" when her parents, deep in conversation, did not notice her trying to speak to them.

These are among the worries that young people share with the counsellors at national mindline 1771, Singapore's 24-hour national mental health helpline and textline service.

Says Calvin Lin*, a full-time counsellor with the service: "Individuals who are feeling vulnerable often struggle to express what they are feeling. We ask open questions to help them articulate their thoughts and understand their emotions more clearly."

During these conversations, counsellors focus on providing a calm, non-judgmental space for help-seekers to speak openly.

They also address mental health queries, share coping strategies or connect help-seekers to appropriate community services or resources. Launched in June 2025 by the Ministry of Health and operated by trained counsellors from the Institute of Mental Health (IMH), national mindline 1771 is a crucial first stop for those seeking mental health support, especially if they prefer speaking to a counsellor over the phone or via text message.

Help-seekers can choose to remain anonymous. Roughly one in four individuals who have contacted national mindline 1771 and chose to reveal their age are younger than 20 years old.

Many of the help-seekers Calvin speaks with are teenagers navigating independence who fear being judged by their peers or hesitate to open up to adults. The issues they raise range from bullying and exam stress to friendship conflicts and parental expectations.

Dr Christopher Cheok, programme director of national mindline 1771 and senior consultant at IMH, says that younger children may hesitate to share their concerns, especially if they feel that their parents are busy with work or other commitments.

"Some parents may be emotionally unavailable due to personal struggles, such as marital difficulties, which can make children hesitant to add to what they perceive as existing family stress," he says.

Young people are not the only ones reaching out for help. Adults also turn to the service when the pressures of work, parenting or caring for ageing parents begin to feel overwhelming.

One woman reached out while caring for an elderly parent with cancer, as sleepless nights and the constant worry of caregiving had begun to take a toll. After listening and talking through her situation, the counsellor connected her with a community partner for longer-term counselling and support.

Such calls are not uncommon, says Dr Cheok, noting that caregivers often juggle multiple responsibilities like medical appointments and clinic visits alongside work and family duties.

"These may create stress, particularly when they conflict with work obligations or family time. Caring for loved ones with cognitive decline, such as dementia, brings emotional challenges including helplessness, grief and frustration."

Barriers to seeking help can include thinking that mental health challenges are something to be endured, not knowing where to find support, or assuming that no one can help, he adds. But seeking help is not a sign of weakness.

Another national mindline 1771 counsellor Idris Othman* says some callers reach out in the midst of panic attacks.

"You hear them hyperventilating, sobbing, expressing distress. I guide them through breathing exercises and by the end of the call, they are calmer, sometimes even laughing out of relief," he says.

At the end of the conversation, counsellors may also guide help-seekers towards appropriate mental health support services based on their needs.

Idris adds: "Some help-seekers tell me they didn't realise this kind of help exists, and that there are organisations they can reach out to. It's a privilege for me to be there for them as they navigate their challenges. I'm glad they have an avenue to share their worries and be heard."

**Counsellors are identified by the pen names they use during conversations.*

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*"Even if someone shares something shocking, we remind them: 'I'm not here to judge you'."*

---- Calvin Lin*, a full-time counsellor at national mindline 1771

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