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Digital services can boost mental health reach, say experts
The Straits Times
|July 18, 2025
But they say rigorous checks are needed to ensure that such tools are safe and effective
Incorporating technology and digitalisation in mental health services can expand access and reach more people in need, but experts say rigorous checks are essential to ensure the tools are safe and effective.
Speaking on a panel at the Singapore Mental Health Conference on July 17, Ms Alice Ong, director of preventive health programmes and rewards at the Health Promotion Board (HPB), noted that technology has been very helpful in addressing persistent stigma surrounding mental health.
Citing the MindSG platform as an example, she said the website drew three million views when it was launched in 2021. As at 2024, it had accumulated 12 million page views.
Dr Swapna Verma, chairman of the medical board at the Institute of Mental Health (IMH), said that besides stigma, there are also manpower constraints in the mental health sector. Digital mental health services, she said, offer confidential and easy access to care.
This story is from the July 18, 2025 edition of The Straits Times.
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