BACKGROUND

In response to the need to provide for mental health services to address gender-related concerns in a higher education institute, the University of the Philippines (UP) Manila Center for Gender and Women Studies (CGWS) commissioned a project to formulate a framework for the increasing volume of referrals.

METHODOLOGY

A mixed methods study was done in order to gather data to create a responsive and practical mental health care service provision framework with and for service providers and service users in the university. An online survey (N=135), focus group discussion, key informant interviews, and a round table discussion were conducted, with constituents of the university recruited through purposive sampling.

RESULTS

A stepped-care model was proposed, consisting of: 1. Preventive Well-Being Resources, 2. Supportive Well-Being Interventions and Initial Screening Resources, 3. Structured Interventions, and 4. Interventions for Severe Mental Health Problems.

CONCLUSION

The framework formulated in collaboration with service providers and service users in the university addresses the goals of optimizing existing resources and enhancing service provision. Implementation and evaluation of this framework, as well as further information regarding the target population and their use of this model, are proposed avenues for further research.

Human ; Gender ; Gender Identity ; Sexual Harassment ; Mental Health ; Mental Health Services ; Lgbtq ; Sexual And Gender Minorities ; Psychiatry ; Psychology

There is a growing recognition among business leaders of the impact of mental health issues on business outcomes. This improved awareness, however, has not been accompanied by a proportional increase in investment and implementation of related programs. This research aimed to explore the context and perspectives of business leaders on mental health and related services in the workplace from private industries in lloilo City. The study utilized a convergent mixed methods design. Fifty-three business leaders, chosen through convenience sampling, answered an online, three-part questionnaire. For the qualitative strand, seven purposively sampled leaders took part as key informant interviewees. Results showed that majority has been operational for 2-5 years (43%), were classified as micro (40%) and small (43%) enterprises, and came from the food and beverage (28%) industry. Both strands of the study revealed positive results in terms of the leaders' awareness on and attitude towards mental health in the workplace. While participants had differing experiences of mental health concerns, they similarly agreed that related services were costly and difficult to access. Respondents were indecisive about providing mental health services as evidenced by a lack of institutionalized programs, athough they had high perceived acceptability, appropriateness, and feasibility scores to the prospect of having an employee assistance program regardless of the age, type, and financial position of their business. The context where and when practices or services for workplace mental health occur played a crucial role, such as leadership style, employee characteristics, and company culture. In conclusion, business leaders demonstrated positive awareness around mental health and were open to looking for ways to support their employees, although this came with logistical and financial reservations. The results may inform businesses and relevant agencies in contextualizing the role of mental health in the workplace and understanding the factors that affect program design and implementation.

Human ; Mental Health Services

Medical assistance programs are government-funded programs that provide financial assistance to low-income individuals and families. These programs aim to reduce financial burdens and improve health care access. Coverage may include outpatient visits, hospital care, mental health services, diagnostic work-ups, prescriptions, and other services. This increases the detection of health conditions and improves drug utilization.1 2 3 Even though government health schemes and compulsory contributory health care financing schemes (e.g., PhilHealth) accounted for the majority of health expenditures in the Philippines, household out-of-pocket (OOP) payment still remains high. In 2022, the country’s total health expenditure (THE) was Php 1.12 trillion, with government health schemes and compulsory contributory health care financing schemes accounting for 44.8% of the THE and household OOP payment accounting for 44.7%. Thus, every Filipino spent an average amount of Php 10,059.49 for health care goods and services in 2022
Medical Assistance ; Health Services Accessibility ; Mental Health Services

With the establishment of the Republic Act No. 11036, more popularly known as the Mental Health Act, improvement in the mental, neurologic, and psychosocial health took a step forward in the Philippines. This law, which was signed on June 2018, gave specific provisions in different aspects of delivery of mental health services to Filipinos. This law proved very useful in the dilemma faced in the following case where a potential problem in confidentiality was encountered.
Mental Health Services ; Confidentiality ; Mental Health ; Philippines

As a global public health problem, adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) is an important factor leading to serious psychological and behavioral problems in children and adolescents. Mental health service plan based on mental health service needs is the key to effectively improve the psychological problems of children and adolescents with ACEs. Emotional support, life skills training, mental health education, and individualized psychological intervention can effectively improve the mental health of children and adolescents with ACEs. Among them, emotional support is an important way to help individual reduce psychological and behavioral problems; secondly, life skills training can significantly improve the individual's psychosocial ability; and mental health education is a necessary way to promote the development of individual mental health. Individualized psychological intervention can promote individual to obtain more professional mental health service and improve their psychological symptoms, which is crucial for preventing the occurrence of mental health problems. Future research can develop targeted mental health interventions based on the specific mental health service needs.
Adolescent ; Adverse Childhood Experiences ; Child ; Humans ; Mental Health ; Mental Health Services

In accordance with the Republic Act (RA) 11036, also known as the Mental Health Act of 2017, the Department of Health (DOH) was tasked to "establish a balanced system of community-based and hospital-based mental health services at all levels of the public health care system from the barangay, municipal, city, provincial, regional to the national level." It is also expected that the Local Government Units (LGUs) "promote deinstitutionalization and other recovery-based approaches to the delivery of mental health care services."1 Even before RA 11036 was enacted, the Davao Center for Health Development (DCHD) had already facilitated the establishment of several Community-Based Mental Health Programs (CBMHPs) in rural health units (RHUs) within the region since 2015. These programs are guided by six principles–coordinated level of referral system for better patient care, optimizing the expertise of the regional mental hub to guarantee rational use of drugs, community-based patient care for a more cost-effective treatment, capitalizing family and patient's support groups for better patient outcomes, optimizing innovative long-acting injections for better compliance and decreased relapse, and neutralizing the stigma against schizophrenia to improve mental health.2 The aim of this article is to recommend health care policies based on the report on observations and lessons learned from the implementation of the CBMHPs by the DCHD in four municipalities in Davao Region.
Community Health Services ; Mental Health Services

Delivery of Health Care ; Humans ; Mental Health Services ; Primary Health Care ; Singapore

The Community Mental Health Program (CMHP) of the Center for Health Development Calabarzon is an initiative that aims to integrate mental health into primary care to facilitate person-centered and holistic services. At the core of CMHP is a referral pathway between health centers and tertiary-level mental health services for the diagnosis and continuing management of persons with mental health conditions, as well as the use of an innovative medication (specifically for schizophrenia). This commentary presents lessons learned from a one-year implementation of CMHP in four pilot sites in the provinces of Rizal and Laguna, which stakeholders in mental health may consider in the design of community-based mental health programs to further the mandate of the Mental Health Act.
Schizophrenia ; Mental Health Services ; Program Evaluation ; Paliperidone Palmitate

The COVID-19 pandemic has had pervasive effects on society at large, specifically disrupting routine and established processes at the household, organizational, and community levels. The Philippine Psychiatric Association organized the Fourth Southeast Asia Mental Health Forum to discuss issues and share experiences on how this community can respond to the challenges brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. Three common challenges for the mental health community were identified – (a) ensuring the continuity of services for persons with psychiatric disorders in different settings; (b) preventing spread of COVID-19 infection in in-patient or residential mental health facilities; and (c) addressing the emergent demand for mental health services from health workers and the general population experiencing psychological symptoms because of the pandemic situation. In the face of these challenges, two broad groups of good practices and innovations were conceptualized and implemented by professionals and institutions: (a) development of alternative arrangements for the delivery of mental health services; and (b) mobilization of stakeholders and resources to ensure whole-of-government and whole-of-society approaches. The lessons and ideas that emerged from the forum may find applicability not only in the next few months during which COVID-19 may persist in our midst (i.e., the “new normal”), but also in other future events that may cause the same level of societal impact and disruption.
Mental Health ; COVID-19 ; Asia, Southeastern ; Mental Health Services ; Philippines

OBJECTIVES: This study investigates lay beliefs about the etiology and treatments of tic disorder and Tourette's syndrome, as well as identifying sociodemographic and personality variables affecting these beliefs among South Koreans. METHODS: In total, 673 participants (mean age 41.77±12.03 years) completed an online survey regarding their beliefs about tic disorder and Tourette's syndrome. The factors related to their lay beliefs about the disorders were analyzed, and the correlates were investigated. RESULTS: Results indicated that lay people in South Korea held strong beliefs that the causes of tic disorder and Tourette's syndrome lie within the parenting/psychological and neurological/biological categories, compared to the dietary/environmental one. Among the sociodemographic variables, sex, age, and levels of subjective mental health knowledge were primarily associated with the aforementioned beliefs. Familiarity with tic disorder and Tourette's syndrome was also associated with these beliefs. Among the personality traits investigated, extraversion and conscientiousness had significant influences on the beliefs people had about tic disorder and Tourette's syndrome. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that both policy makers and mental health service providers should adopt a strategic approach for developing and implementing health education interventions about tic disorder and Tourette's syndrome because individual sociodemographic variables, familiarity with the disorders, and personality traits are all associated with the beliefs about these disorders.
Administrative Personnel ; Extraversion (Psychology) ; Health Education ; Humans ; Korea ; Mental Health ; Mental Health Services ; Recognition (Psychology) ; Tic Disorders ; Tics ; Tourette Syndrome