PETALING JAYA: Plans are in the works to boost Talian HEAL 15555, Malaysia’s national mental health helpline, by making it available 24 hours a day.
Currently, the helpline operated by the Health Ministry, is open to distressed callers from 8am to 12am daily.
The ministry also aims to cut waiting time and reduce abandoned calls by exploring the option of having callback functions and queue management.
“The ministry will continue to enhance Talian HEAL 15555 including by strengthening staffing based on call volumes and peak hour analysis.
“Priority will be given to extending operating hours during high-demand periods, particularly overnight, as a phased approach towards 24/7 coverage,” the ministry told The Star.
Such news is also timely - yesterday (Oct 21) marks the helpline’s fourth year since it was set up in 2022 to aid callers struggling with their mental health.
The word HEAL in the helpline’s name stands for “Help with Empathy and Love”, with the aim of the service to encourage those with problems to seek help early to prevent their condition from becoming serious.
Calls to the line have been increasing over the years, as shown in the graphic below.
Click on the arrow button to see the next image:
To boost the helpline, the ministry also plans to strengthen data and quality monitoring of key performance indicators, including call volume, waiting time, abandoned calls, interventions, emergency referrals, follow-up completion and caller satisfaction.
“Such will help support continuous service improvement and better resource planning,” the ministry added.
Other plans include a standardised assessment and procedure to refer individuals at risk, together with efforts to strengthen multilingual and culturally appropriate support.
“This will include protocols that consider the needs of different communities, young people, older adults and other vulnerable groups,” it said.
The ministry said a more structured follow-up and referral mechanism is also in the works for callers requiring ongoing support, linking them to appropriate services.
Mental health in the workplace
One of the most common issues faced by Talian HEAL callers is work-related stress, says the ministry.
“Such problems often co-exist with other personal and social stressors, rather than occurring in isolation,” it said.
Other top issues are emotional distress, anxiety, depression, relationship, marital and family issues, financial concerns and academic pressures.
On plans to introduce a mental health policy for the workplace, the ministry said the proposed national framework was for both the public and private sectors.
“Key areas being considered in the policy are reducing stigma and encouraging early help seeking, as well as improving workplace mental health literacy,” it added.
Other aspects are strengthening psychosocial risk management, setting clear referral pathways to appropriate mental health services and supporting employees experiencing mental health conditions.
“The scope and implementation framework for mental health are currently being refined through consultations with stakeholders,” it said.
Here are some examples of what workplaces can do to address mental health risks, based on a policy brief on mental health at work by the World Health Organization and International Labour Organization:
It was reported that a mental health policy for the workplace was being planned to create a conducive, safe and harmonious working environment in line with Malaysia’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Action Plan.
Any further measures, the ministry said, will be introduced in a phased and systematic manner, allowing employers enough time to build capacity, improve internal systems and adopt good workplace mental health practices.
On whether the policy would be mandatory or optional, the ministry said the extent to which each measure is voluntary, recommended or linked to existing requirements will be determined through consultations with the relevant ministries and stakeholders.
At present, the Talian Heal 15555 helpline is operated by Health Ministry counselling officers daily from 8am until midnight, including public holidays.
Those experiencing problems may also reach out to Befrienders Kuala Lumpur (03-7627 2929, or visit www.befrienders.org.my/centre-in-malaysia for a full list of numbers and operating hours).
For now, here’s a look at what you can do to protect your mental health from work-related issues:
