The Quezon City Health Department is planning to implement a community-based mental health program to provide underprivileged residents access to mental health care and services.
Doctors and barangay health workers have been trained in mental health care to establish a mental health care delivery system in each community.
The City Health Department is also completing a referral system with other health and social-welfare institutions under programs for preventing and managing mental illness and disorders related to substance abuse.
“Since we cannot hire psychiatrists, we trained our doctors and health workers,” said city health officer Verdades Linga.
Linga said the city government has set aside P7.4 million for the development of the city’s community-based mental health program, mandated by an ordinance approved by Mayor Herbert Bautista in October 2015.
The measure, principally authored by Councilor Anthony Peter Crisologo, calls for a system and mechanism for providing free mental health care to city residents, especially the poor.