More personnel needed for Mental Health Division

Mayor Sara Duterte intends to hire more personnel for the planned Mental Health Division.
During the local health board meeting last Feb. 15, officials were informed that Duterte is willing to hire more people as needed to provide quality service as part of the operation of the Mental Health Division.
Councilor Mary Joselle Villafuerte said Tuesday that the head of the division must be a psychiatrist.
Each district should also have at least one psychologist, who preferably holds a masters degree and trained in counseling. At least one mental health nurse will also be assigned in each district along with a social health worker.
“Hopefully, this will be given a budget for the office supplies and facilities. It will be a division with employees working full-time for the mental health concerns of the city,” Villafuerte said.
Duterte initially allocated P5 million for the establishment of the mental health care facility.
Villafuerte is hoping to pass the proposed Mental Health ordinance on the second reading so they could begin formulating its implementing rules and regulations.
The three goals of the ordinance are to make mental health care community-based, to build a structure within the Southern Philippines Medical Center-Institute of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine (SPMC-IPBM) and to create mental health division.