Cebu City Health Dep’t should have program for suicide prevention — dad

This is a stock photo of Inquirer.net of a depressed person . | File photo

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Cebu City Health Department should have a program for crisis intervention and suicide prevention to help those going through a mental health crisis.

Councilor Rey Gealon wanted this to happen as he submitted a proposed resolution at the City Council calling on the city’s Health Department to have a program that would cater to the needs of people going through this situation.

READ: How to protect your mental health while reading news on war

Cebu City Health Department

“Cebu City Health Department is an organization mandated and committed to the prevention and control of diseases and promotion of health of Cebu City who are in need of quality health services through the implementation of health programs, public education, and public-private partnership,”Gealon said.

He submitted the proposed resolution as a way to celebrate Mental Health Day on October 10, 2023.

With this, he said that it was a day to talk about mental health and show everyone that mental health matters.

READ: Mental health must be top priority says Cebu clinical psychologist

DOH-7, VSMMC hot lines

On Wednesday, October 11, CDN Digital published an article that reported about the hotlines of the Department of Health in Central Visayas (DOH-7) and Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC) for those who want to seek professional help for their mental health concerns.

And Gealon cited in his proposed resolution that DOH-7 and VSMMC have hotlines to those who seek help.

READ: Mental health treatment should not be reserved for the rich

Crisis intervention, suicide prevention program

With that, Gealon said that while the Cebu City Health Department has programs to address mental health issues, he also urged them to establish a program for crisis intervention and suicide prevention to help those who were going through a mental health crisis.

He added that there was a need for health organizations to exert coordinated efforts to provide mental health care to the public, especially those who could not afford such.

READ: Mental Health Day: The need to defuse a ticking time bomb for millions

Forefront of addressing mental health concerns

“Coming out from the pandemic coupled with day to day social and financial pressure, the issue of mental health is critical more than ever before,” Gealon told CDN Digital.

Gealon said that the city government, through the City Health Department, must be at the forefront in raising awareness and providing solutions for mental health concerns and conditions of its residents.

“What better way to up the tempo than establishing and strengthening programs for crisis intervention and suicide prevention,” he said.