THE SENATE Committees on Higher, Technical and Vocational Education, Health and Demography, and Finance have approved the measure strengthening the mental health services of the State Universities and Colleges.

Senator Francis Escudero, chairman of the Senate Committee on Higher, Technical and Vocational Education, has endorsed Senate Bill 2598 or the proposed SUC Mental Health Services Act.

Senate Bill 2598 is a substitute bill for the consolidated measures authored by Senators Escudero, Jinggoy Estrada, Ramon ‘Bong’ Revilla Jr., Christopher ‘Bong’ Go, Lito Lapid and Juan Edgardo Angara.

Based on the measure, all SUCs will be mandated to establish a Mental Health Office in their respective campuses to be operated by trained mental health professionals serving as the mental health service personnel of the SUCs.

The measure allows hiring of additional faculty, teaching and non-teaching staff and other personnel in the campuses of SUC nationwide to ensure health services are provided to resolve emotional, behavioral and psychological issues.

Salaries and other allowances of the MHO personnel will be based on the government standardization law.

A study of the World Health Organization released in 2021 showed that globally, one in seven 10 to 19-year-olds experiences a mental disorder, accounting for 13 percent of the burden of disease in the age group.

The same study said suicide is the fourth leading cause of death among the 15 to 29 age bracket.