Damyang-gun Provides Various Services for Local Youth Mental Health Care

Mental Health Welfare Center and Jeonnam Provincial University Lead 'Survey'

'Mental Health Supporters' Launch on 27th for University Students and Faculty

Damyang-gun is promoting various projects to take care of the mental health of young people experiencing psychological difficulties.

Damyang-gun (Governor Lee Byeong-no) announced on the 28th that it will analyze the mental health status of young people experiencing psychological difficulties due to academics, employment, and friendships, centered around Jeonnam Provincial University, through the mental health app ‘TouchMind’ and identify high-risk groups to provide various services.

The high-risk groups identified in this survey will be provided with a free process of early intervention - in-depth counseling by a psychiatrist - treatment linkage - follow-up management, aiming to detect and prevent mental health problems early and protect the mental health of young people.

Since March until this month, the county has recruited youth mental health supporters targeting students and teachers. The supporters’ inauguration ceremony was held the day before at the Damyang-gun Mental Health Welfare Center.

They will volunteer as youth mental health ambassadors for about six months until November, leading activities such as producing mental health awareness improvement content and campaigns.

A county official said, “Anyone can catch a cold of the mind, and it is most important to recognize it early,” adding, “The Mental Health Welfare Center will be a reliable support that cares for the minds of residents together, not alone.”

Meanwhile, the Damyang-gun Mental Health Welfare Center visits vulnerable groups experiencing social, economic, and mental difficulties to conduct depression and stress tests or operate mental health promotion programs. It also runs a ‘Visiting Psychological Cafe’ directly at workplaces for busy workers to monitor their mental health.

In addition, the center operates a mental health crisis counseling phone line and a 24-hour suicide prevention counseling phone line at all times to improve accessibility to mental health counseling.