Calls to regulate mental health providers are not new, and I recently did so in early 2024. Such professionals include psychologists, therapists and counsellors, the roles and work of whom many laypeople struggle to grasp.
Concerns that the shortage of professionals will be exacerbated by introducing regulation have to be balanced against the real potential harm to already-vulnerable clients seeking support from inadequately trained individuals purporting to provide therapy and the like. Just last week worrying reports emerged about unqualified individuals offering counselling services on platforms like Carousell.
Regulating this area also means that clients seeking help know that a professional has met a baseline level of training and understanding of the often challenging ethical concerns that arise. It is also a first step for our existing healthcare financing to be used to expand access to such services.
I therefore hope that the Ministry will develop a long-term plan to regulate the industry, taking into account the views of professional bodies, while keeping an eye to make sure that barriers to entry are not overtly high. A key part of this is to work with training providers and to increase the supply of qualified professionals to ensure that Singaporeans’ mental health needs are adequately and safely met.
