TAIPEI (TVBS News) — The Ministry of Health and Welfare (衛福部) plans to extend its large-scale subsidized counseling program, initially set to expire at the end of this month.
The ministry's Department of Mental Health (心理健康司) launched the initial program in August 2023 to address rising suicide rates among young people aged 15 to 30. Statistics show that as of late June, 76,350 people have used the service, with 33.7% of high-risk individuals referred for early medical intervention.
Last year's suicide statistics revealed 3,898 deaths, marking a 14-year high. While the suicide rate among those 65 and older dropped by 4.9%, rates increased by 5.1% for those aged 25 to 44 and 45 to 65 and by 2.1% for those aged 15 to 25.
Huang Ya-lin (黃雅羚), chairperson of the Taiwan Counseling Psychologist Union (諮商心理師公會全聯會), emphasized the need to consider expanding the age range for subsidies, citing stress among people aged 30 to 50. Huang Ming-chyi (黃名琪), director of Taipei City Hospital's Songde branch (松德院區), confirmed the new plan would follow the same three-session subsidy model and focus on high-risk referrals.
Chang Chia-ming (張家銘), executive director of the Taiwan Association Against Depression (台灣憂鬱症防治協會), noted that the Ministry has increased the budget for this year's counseling subsidy program to cover a broader population.
Deputy Minister Lin Ching-yi (林靜儀) expressed hope that the program's success would lead to deeper and broader mental health initiatives, pending approval from the Executive Yuan. Chen Liang-yu (陳亮妤), director of the Department of Mental Health, announced that details of the new subsidy plan would be released on July 19.
Individuals seeking counseling or assistance can contact the 1925, 1995, or 1980 hotlines for support.