Taipei, Oct. 24 (CNA) Ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) presidential nominee Lai Ching-te (賴清德) said Tuesday he would expand access to a recently launched subsidized mental health counseling scheme to include elementary school students.
“Nowadays, our children are under especially great pressure,” Lai, the current vice president, said at a press conference at the DPP’s headquarters, noting that giving them access to psychological and emotional support would be the government’s responsibility.
Lai said he would, if elected president next January, expand the subsidy scheme, which is currently available for people aged 15-30, to include those aged 6-14.
Young people who feel burnt out should be encouraged to go counseling, he said, adding that this would allow relevant institutes to identify high-risk groups earlier and refer them to a clinic for appropriate treatment.
In August, the Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW) launched a one-year program for subsidized consultations with a budget of NT$28.8 million (US$891,751), which was later increased to NT$107 million to meet the high demand.
The program was devised amid an uptick in depression, anxiety, and suicide attempts among Taiwan’s young population, the MOHW said, citing data from the National Health Insurance (NHI) system as saying the number of individuals aged 15-30 who went to psychiatric clinics increased from 221,000 to 292,000 from 2016 to 2021.
Under that program, individuals in the 15-30 age group who are Taiwanese nationals are eligible for up to three subsidized consultations in a year, with the government covering NT$1,600 for each session.
Fees for one-on-one consultations with certified therapists vary greatly in Taiwan. While NHI-reimbursed sessions in public institutes usually cost a few hundred Taiwan dollars, a 50-minute session in a private institute without NHI coverage ranges from NT$1,500 to NT$3,000.
In addition, Lai said he would increase the number of community mental health centers from the current 38 to 100 by 2028, although he did not detail how he planned to achieve that goal.
The vice president also pledged to meet in person with NGO representatives regularly to seek policy advice and collaborate with charity groups to provide greater protection to disadvantaged people in Taiwan.