It's OKAY to Reach Out campaign

NOTICE PAPER NO. 1727
NOTICE OF QUESTION FOR WRITTEN ANSWER
FOR THE SITTING OF PARLIAMENT ON OR AFTER  23 FEBRUARY 2023

Name and Constituency of Member of Parliament
Mr Leon Perera
MP for Aljunied GRC

Question No. 2737

To ask the Minister for Health (a) why was the "It's OKAY to Reach Out" campaign for mental health discontinued in March 2022; and (b) whether the Ministry is considering launching similar programmes in the future to encourage help-seeking behaviour and awareness of avenues for help for mental health challenges.

Answer

The Health Promotion Board (HPB) launched the "It's OKAY to Reach Out" campaign in October 2021 to promote mental health awareness and literacy among Singaporeans, empower individuals to develop coping skills to manage their mental well-being, and encourage them to reach out for support when they feel overwhelmed. 

The programme was not discontinued in March 2022 and is still ongoing, with sustained outreach through social media, online and on-ground programmes. 

Aside from "Its OKAY to Reach Out", HPB also runs a range of other mental health awareness programmes. One campaign is aimed at helping parents better understand their child's emotional health and identify behaviours of concern. Additionally, HPB's mental health promotion efforts include raising awareness on MindSG, a one-stop online national portal for mental health and well-being resources.