By Yang Shuei-Yong / Staff reporter / County Government
To celebrate World Mental Health Day, the Kinmen County Health Bureau held a press conference yesterday (29th) themed “Be a guardian and let love shine,” and introduced the policy of removing charcoal from store shelves. At present, 26 cooperative and friendly stores have agreed to sign for and endorse the policy. Wu Cheng-Dian, Deputy Magistrate of Kinmen County, presented a certificate of appreciation to the storekeepers for supporting the government's mental health education initiative aimed at reducing the suicide rate. Meanwhile, the agency appeals to the public to lend a helping hand to your relatives and friends who are suffering from mental illness by making full use of the principle of “ask, respond, and refer” as a gatekeeper to jointly create a healthy, warm, and friendly island.
The press conference was held at 2 p.m. yesterday at the press room of the Kinmen County Government, presided over by Deputy Magistrate Wu Cheng-Dian. He said that Kinmen is not the same as before and is a pluralistic society, that the county government and health bureau have paid special attention to the issue of mental health and education, and that he expressed his thanks to the industry for supporting the government's health and education policy. Moreover, with the development of society, mental health is of importance. Life is very precious, and he hoped that everyone can “be a gatekeeper by listening attentively and extending a helping hand.”
At the event, Wu was invited to award a certificate of thanks to 26 cooperative and friendly retailers supporting the policy of removing charcoal from store shelves. Besides, the work achievements of the Health Bureau throughout the year were being reviewed, where it had organized a series of related activities for various groups, including the elderly, workers, physically or mentally disabled people, aboriginal people, and new residents. Afterwards, a promotional video about visiting friendly stores was played for business owners and salespersons, and a sticker with a helpline should be attached to charcoal being sold. In addition, the film was interspersed with a short play titled “Removal of charcoal from store shelves” produced by the Kinmen County Health Bureau, conveying the meaning of life through humorous plots.
Furthermore, after film viewing, Li Jin-Jhih, deputy director of the Kinmen County Health Bureau, delivered a speech on “Removal of Charcoal From Shelves and Suicide Prevention,” promoting the principle of “To Ask: active care and listening; To Respond: appropriate response, support and companionship; To Refer: referral and continuing care.” In the meantime, Li hoped that through the lecture, everyone can become a suicide prevention gatekeeper to attain the ideal of “Be a guardian and let love shine.”
The World Health Organization (WHO) declared October 10th as World Mental Health Day in support of mental health. The Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW) has expanded it to Mental Health Month, and this year, launched a campaign to take charcoal down from the shelf as a highlight. The Kinmen County Health Bureau has been conducting the National Mental Health Program since 2014, to jointly promote the mental health of the public. Moreover, to arrange the work of mental health promotion and suicide prevention, the county's Mental Health Promotion and Suicide Prevention Promotion Committee was set up in 2015 by combining the county's related resource networks (e.g. Lifeline Association) to enhance the mental health of the people.
So far, the county’s Health Bureau has staged mental health activities for all groups, including the elderly, workers, physically and mentally disabled people, aboriginal people, and new residents. At the beginning of this year, the agency also provided two sessions of psychological counseling for the public per month at the public health centers. In response to October's Mental Health Month, the department offered not only mental health lectures on campus, but also lectures and psychological counseling activities at five public health centers.
In addition, “if you are distressed or depressed and want to find someone to chat with,” said the agency, a 24-hour toll-free line: 0800-788-995, lifeline: 1995, or counseling line during office hours: 337885 are available. Or you may make an appointment with a psychologist from the Community Mental Health Center. No matter how difficult it is, we will accompany you through it.