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Community Mental Health Programme

2024/07/02

Overview

The Community Mental Health (CMH) Programme in NTFGH is part of Ministry of Health's (MOH) community-based mental health plan to work with and through the community for better health outcomes. It aims to make mental health services more accessible to the general public and help facilitate earlier treatment for those diagnosed with mental illness.

The CMH Programme team in NTFGH manages a suite of services such as the Assessment & Shared Care Team (ASCAT) NTFGH, ASCAT Youth NTFGH, Aftercare NTFGH and Post-Diagnostic Support Community Outreach Team (CREST-PDS) NTFGH which are under the CMH Masterplan jointly developed by the Agency for Integrated Care (AIC), and MOH. The CMH Masterplan enables persons living with mental health issues including dementia to seek early treatment nearer to their homes and ensure that they are well-supported in the community.

Our CMH Programme provides a comprehensive multi-disciplinary approach in the management of adolescents, adults and older persons with mental health issues such as depression, anxiety and dementia. Our team comprises psychiatrists, psychologists, case management officers and medical social workers who collaborate closely with a network of general practitioners (GPs), polyclinics and community agencies to provide assessment, case management support, treatment, and holistic care for individuals with moderate to severe mental health conditions.

Where to get professional help?

Here's where you can go to seek professional help:

  • Family Service Centres (FSCs) for mild symptoms
  • Polyclinics for mild and moderate symptoms
  • GP clinics for mild and moderate symptoms
  • Hospitals for moderate and severe symptoms
  • If you are feeling suicidal and need to talk to someone, please call the Samaritans of Singapore (SOS) hotline at 1800-221-4444 (24 hours).
  • If you are in need of help or social assistance, please call the ComCare hotline at 1800-222-0000 (Mon - Sun, 7am - 12 midnight).

For more useful information and resources on mental health, click here.

Primary Care & Community Partners
  • The Community Intervention Team (COMIT) provides assessment, counselling, therapy, case management and psychoeducation support for individuals with mental health issues and dementia, including their caregivers. COMIT works closely with the community outreach teams, General Practitioners, Polyclinics and other community partners to provide holistic care to clients.

  • The Community Outreach Team (CREST) focuses on raising public awareness of mental health conditions and dementia, promotes early recognition of at-risk individuals, provides emotional support to individuals and their caregivers and links individuals to relevant health and social care services when necessary.

  • Social Service Agencies are non-profit organisations that provide services to benefit the community. Social service agencies are typically set up as societies, companies limited by guarantee or trusts.

For more information on support in the community, click here.

CMH Programmes offered at NTFGH under the CMH Masterplan

1. Assessment & Shared Care Team (ASCAT)

The Assessment & Shared Care Team (ASCAT) comprises a multi-disciplinary team to provide assessment, treatment, and holistic care for aged 15 years and above clients with moderate to severe mental health conditions. In addition to supporting clients and caregivers, the team also builds the capability of community mental health providers through training and clinical leadership.

How can the ASCAT Team support you?

  • Provide fast-track clinical care including quick stabilisation, assessment, diagnosis and treatment for mental health conditions
  • Develop capabilities of providers including primary care physicians, for example GPs, Polyclinics and community agencies to provide quality mental health care through training and professional support
  • Develop community support initiatives and provide clinical leadership in the development of integrated community mental health network

2. Assessment & Shared Care Team - Youth (ASCAT Youth)

The Assessment and Shared Care Team-Youth (ASCAT Youth) comprises a multi-disciplinary team of doctors and Allied Health Professionals. The holistic and integrated approach enables youth clients to undergo assessment and receive early treatment for moderate to high severity mental health conditions. ASCAT Youth is targeted at adolescents aged between 13 to 17 years old with depression, anxiety, psychotic symptoms, self-harm behaviours and moderate-to-high distress levels.

How can the ASCAT Youth team support youths?

  • Provide clinical and case management support for youths with mild to moderate risk of self-harm.
  • Co-management of stabilised complex cases with community service providers in the community.
  • Develop an integrated care path/fast-tracked clinical services between the hospital and community settings to support timely clinical assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of youths with moderate to severe mental health conditions.
  • Develop capabilities of community partners to provide youth mental health care, through training and professional support.

3. Aftercare NTFGH

The Aftercare programme provides transitional care support and coordinated case management for clients with complex needs and frequent relapse episodes, to optimise functioning, sustain their psychological well-being and re-integrate them back into the community.

How can the Aftercare Team support you?

  • Single point of contact between community partners and restructured hospital
  • Joint home visit(s) for assessment and community support
  • Facilitate information flow amongst the stakeholders within the Integrated Health (Mental and Physical Health) & Social Support Network
  • Lead role to provide one care plan to be shared with RH and partners
  • Resource person for services and provide service linkage through working closely with the frontline agencies

4. Post-Diagnostic Support for persons newly-diagnosed with dementia and their caregivers (CREST-PDS)

The Post-Diagnostic Support Programme for persons newly-diagnosed with dementia and their caregivers (CREST-PDS) provides education on the condition, coordinates community resources and facilitates early planning and management of the condition, for persons living with dementia and their caregivers upon diagnosis over six months.

How can the CREST-PDS team support you?

  • Increase awareness of dementia condition, disease management and caregiving tips amongst persons newly diagnosed with dementia and their caregivers.
  • Promote identification of caregiver and client needs and link up to support services in the community.
  • Provide basic emotional support and mental health information, service linkage and follow up with clients and caregivers.
  • Empower caregivers to be able to support other caregivers.
Who can make a referral to the Community Mental Health programmes?

Polyclinic Doctors, Mental Health GP Partners and community partners such as COMIT partners, CREST partners, social services agencies located in the western part of Singapore for their clients aged 13 years old & above living in western Singapore.

Contact Information

Contact our Community Mental Health Programme team for more information.


CMH Programme Driven by:
Ng Teng Fong General Hospital

CMH Programme Supported by:
AIC
CMH Programme is an intiative under:
Mental Health Awareness SingaporeBe A Dementia Friend
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