Department of Information Technology

On August 28, Mayor Chiang Wan-an attended the press conference for the 2023 World Suicide Prevention Day. In addition to promoting suicide prevention awareness, he also introduced supportive measures provided by city hall, such as the municipal Suicide Prevention Center which offers courses on how to observe warning signs of someone thinking of suicide and counseling programs.

As the father of three children, the mayor calls upon parents of teenagers to listen to the voices of their kids and provide them with adequate psychological support.

Presiding over the press conference with YouTubers “MMG” (Chien-ming and Chun-ming), Chiang pointed out that according to stats from the Ministry of Health and Welfare, there were a total of 3,787 who died from suicide in 2022. This showed a 5.6% increase from the previous period, placing suicide on the 12th place of the leading cause of death ranking in Taiwan. What is more worrisome is that there is a growing number of suicides among the teenage population.

The mayor calls upon the public to learn more about the source of stress teenagers encounter nowadays, which are very different from the past. People should be aware of warning signs exhibited by youth who suffer from long-term depression, loneliness, helplessness, or loss of sleep. The kids themselves should also share their concerns proactively with friends, elders, parents, or close relatives.

According to the mayor, Taipei City is the first in the nation to establish a municipal level Suicide Prevention Center. Through an intricate network involving the departments of health, education, and social affairs, teenagers will be able to find the help they need. Also, the city has established a community counseling station for each of the 12 districts. At the price of NT$250 per consultation, the services provided by the institute is very accessible and affordable to all.

At the end of the press event, the mayor reminded the audience that starting August 1, the city government offers young men and women between the age of 15 and 30 three free counseling sessions each. He is happy to report that over the past month, the number of applications received have greatly exceeded anticipation. The city government will try to secure more subsidies from the central government, hoping to strengthen the psychological well-being of youths and teenagers.