Cheonan City to Promote Special Leave for Welfare Officials for Psychological Stability

Partial Amendment to the Local Public Officials Service Ordinance Passes Standing Committee
Four-Day Psychological Stabilization Leave for Welfare Officials Who Witness Deaths on Duty

Cheonan City in Chungnam Province is the first basic local government in the country to establish a "Special Psychological Stability Leave" for welfare officers to ensure their psychological stability and recovery from mental trauma. Pixabay

Cheonan City in South Chungcheong Province is introducing a "Special Psychological Stability Leave" for public officials in charge of welfare services to support their psychological well-being and recovery from mental trauma.

The city has established an institutional basis for supporting special psychological stability leave for welfare officials, as the "Partial Amendment Ordinance to the Cheonan City Local Public Officials Service Ordinance" passed the first review by the Administrative and Health Committee at the 272nd temporary session of the Cheonan City Council.

This new leave system was introduced to help welfare officials overcome the difficulties of having to continue working without any mental rest even after witnessing death scenes, such as solitary deaths, during the process of identifying households in crisis.

Currently, Cheonan City has 414 public officials in charge of welfare services, who manage around 15,000 vulnerable households receiving basic living support.

In particular, more than 50% of staff in towns and districts who are on the front lines of welfare work are junior officials with less than five years of experience. Over the past three years, 12 welfare officials have directly witnessed death scenes, such as solitary deaths, and have reported psychological trauma.

According to the proposed amendment to the "Cheonan City Local Public Officials Service Ordinance" submitted to the city council, officials who directly witness death scenes, such as solitary deaths, while performing welfare duties and require psychological stability and mental recovery, can take up to four days of leave.

Along with this, the city will also promote a mental health program (EAP) that provides up to five psychological counseling sessions per person.

The city expects that the introduction of this psychological stability leave system will help welfare officials secure time for initial rest after witnessing death scenes and for counseling or treatment at professional institutions.

Mayor Park Sangdon said, "Special attention is needed for welfare officials who care for vulnerable groups on the front lines," adding, "We will institutionalize special leave to actively support employees who have witnessed horrific scenes so that they can recover both mentally and physically."

Meanwhile, this ordinance is scheduled to be promulgated and implemented on the 23rd of this month after being passed at the city council's plenary session on the 6th.