Singapore launches national mindline 1771 to provide 24/7 mental health support
SINGAPORE: A new national mental health helpline and textline will be available from Wednesday (Jun 18), providing a safe space for individuals to seek help, said the Ministry of Health (MOH).
Called national mindline 1771, the helpline and textline service offers three ways for the public to seek help and support for mental health anonymously: through the telephone hotline by dialling 1771, via a mobile messaging service on WhatsApp at +65-6669-1771, and through online webchat on the mindline.sg website.
The multi-channel approach ensures that individuals can choose their preferred mode of communication when seeking support, said MOH.
Trained counsellors at national mindline 1771 will offer free support through counselling, answering mental health queries, and providing wayfinding assistance and referrals to suitable support services.
THE FIRST STOP FOR HELP
The launch of national mindline 1771 comes amid rising mental health concerns in Singapore.
In the latest National Youth Mental Health Study by the Institute of Mental Health (IMH), one in three young people aged between 15 and 35 years in Singapore reported experiencing severe or extremely severe symptoms of depression, anxiety, and/or stress.
Speaking to the media at the launch of the service on Wednesday, Senior Minister of State for Health and Manpower Koh Poh Koon said that the national-level helpline will be the 'first stop' for those seeking help with mental health issues.
'Today, we have more than 200 community touchpoints that those who need mental help may be able to access,' he said. 'But because there are many, many touchpoints in the community, it is important to provide some wayfinding for those who need help as well.'
As such, the national mindline 1771 is a "first stop" to help people access the appropriate level of intervention that they may need.
For example, counsellors can guide those who need more intensive support to the nearest General Practitioner, while those who require more family support might be referred to community partners and social service agencies.
In emergencies, counsellors can also transfer the call to IMH, and if need be, the Singapore Police Force for intervention.
People facing a lot of mental stress may not have the bandwidth or time to navigate the system, he added.
'So this is really about shortcutting the process for them and making them feel that help is just really at a fingertip away, and not delay any form of health-seeking behaviour until it's something that becomes too late,' he said.
Adjunct associate professor Christopher Cheok, the director of national mindline 1771, said that most users call the helpline to talk about their mental distress.
'The next most popular service is finding help, and at 1771 we have developed AI tools to quickly match the person's needs ... to a service that's nearest to their home,' he said.
Adj Assoc Prof Cheok clarified that while AI is used for back-end processes, their online web chat service is '100 per cent manned by a human'.
Since the service was trialled earlier this year, the biggest user group is young working adults, followed by the teenage population, he said.
A COMMUNITY EFFORT
The national mindline is currently operated by a team of 30 full-time counsellors and staff, MOH said. The ministry will launch a pilot in late 2025 to recruit and train volunteers in counselling, psychological first aid, and crisis management.
'We hope to involve the community as part of this national effort so that, hopefully, we can build a more caring, empathic society,' said Adj Assoc Prof Cheok.
With the launch of the national mindline 1771, IMH will discontinue its mental health helpline number 6389 2222.
To ease the transition to the new helpline, IMH has put a temporary measure to route all calls to national mindline 1771. For the next three months, individuals who call the IMH will hear a recorded message that the number is no longer in use, and their call will be automatically forwarded.
Ms Kunaaeswari D/O Padmanappan, a counsellor at the national mindline 1771, told CNA that having an anonymous helpline allows people to be more open to sharing, as there is no judgment involved.
After speaking to a caller, she will analyse what they have shared, consolidate their information and see which resources are the best fit.
'We're here to guide because we're counsellors. We don't tell them what to do,' said the 26-year-old.
'We just want them to have the strength to choose what it is that they want to do. So we give them a wide range of options, and then we leave it to them to explore on their own.'
With the launch of national mindline 1771, she hopes there will be less stigma for those who want to seek help.
'I think, as time goes by, a lot of people are coming forward to seek help. And that itself is a great start.'
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