Health ministry to expand free counseling program starting August

Taipei, July 19 (CNA) Taiwan's Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW) announced on Friday plans to expand its free mental health counseling program to include 31-45 year-olds, starting on Aug. 1.

Under the expansion, individuals aged from 31 to 45 years old will be offered three free counseling sessions per year, Chen Liang-yu (陳亮妤), head of the Department of Mental Health under the MOHW, said at a press conference.

Anyone enrolled in Taiwan's National Health Insurance program, regardless of citizenship, is eligible.

The decision came after an Academia Sinica survey found one in four people aged 30-45 have displayed tendencies related to depression or anxiety, according to the ministry.

With a population of approximately 5.25 million, 31 to 45 year-olds in Taiwan are the "sandwich generation" who bear workplace stress and the responsibility of raising children and caring for elderly parents, and as such mental health resources for this group need to be strengthened, Health Minister Chiu Tai-yuan (邱泰源) said at the press event.

"This is not simply free counseling, but a life-saving initiative," Chen said, echoing Chiu.

Funding of the expanded program -- starting from Aug. 1 until the end of 2025 -- will increase to NT$336 million (US$10.2 million), with the number of people expected to access free counseling doubling to 60,000, ensuring that all can fully utilize the three free sessions, Chen said.

The MOHW launched the free counseling program last August for those aged 15-30, with around 29,000 people accessing counseling services the same year.

Among those, over 10,000 were transferred to medical institutions for further treatment, Chiu said.

According to Chen, it is hoped the number of counseling clinics will increase to 500 this year, with each clinic providing 12 counseling sessions per week.

Given the high demand last year, with the phonelines of counseling clinics overwhelmed, a "Mental Health Support Program Index Map" will also be established as part of the program's expansion, she said.

This will allow the public to search for nearby clinics and check the availability of appointment slots online, she added.

Liao Shih-cheng (廖士程), an attending physician in National Taiwan University Hospital's Department of Psychiatry, pointed out that mental health problems have led to an increase of more than 50 percent in physical illnesses, or even disabilities, over the past 30 years in Taiwan.

However, people with depression still face challenges when seeking help, therefore, he urged the promotion and enhancement of a culture of proactive help-seeking and the establishment of easily accessible mental health resources.