As COVID-19 shows no sign of subsiding, people continue to stay indoor for a long period of time, while some suffer from depression. To solve this issue, Gangdong-gu (Mayor Lee Jung Hun) is planning to give psychological support for the residents suffering from COVID-19.

As a part of the support, the gatekeepers of the Gangdong-gu suicide prevention center distributed bean sprout growing kits to 30 residents at high risk of depression. These gatekeepers, who are also the residents of Gangdong-gu, provide mental support and monitor those who are at high depression rate by visiting them at least once a month and giving them a call at least once a week.

The gatekeepers distributed the bean sprout growing kits to the neighbors during their visit starting this month. The kit became a good activity for those who felt frustrated from the COVID-19 situation. They could somehow alleviate their loneliness while watching the growth of bean sprouts. It is also a good tool for giving psychological support. "I can see how the bean sprouts are growing every day and it helps ease my depression," said one of the senior residents.

Gangdong-gu also provides mental healthcare services for all residents suffering from excess anxiety and stress due to COVID-19.

Telephone counseling, face-to-face counseling, and mental health assessment for the residents and those in self-quarantine are available through the mental support services offered by Gangdong-gu Community Health Center and Gangdonggu Mental Health Welfare Center. A medical institution or a specialist’s counseling is also guided to the high-risk group who are in need of professional treatment. A total of 3,210 text messages were sent from the centers for mental support and 48 telephone counseling sessions were made for those in self-quarantine during the last five months. They also provided 920 counseling sessions for general residents.

If you are a Gangdong-gu resident and want to benefit from the mental healthcare services, you can contact the Gangdonggu Mental Health Welfare Center (02-471-3223) between 9AM and 6PM, on weekdays (Monday to Friday). You can also contact the Mental Health Service Call for Emergency (1577-0119) during off hours. Face-to-face counseling for those in self-quarantine is only available after being released from the quarantine. Confirmed patients, their families and the bereaved can get their counseling at the National Center for Disaster Trauma (02-2204-0001).

The "Heart Do Dream" at the community health center provides counseling service for the Gangdong-gu residents who suffer from anxiety, depression, stress, alcohol dependence/alcoholism, etc. The center is operated twice a week (Monday and Wednesday) from 9AM to 6PM. A psychiatrist also visits the center on alternate Fridays when necessary.

In addition, the mental health checkup/counseling program of Gangdong-gu is a program that supports medical expenses for up to three sessions when a Gangdong-gu resident aged 19 and over gets a mental health checkup or counseling at one of the eleven mental clinics in Gangdong-gu. Their life protection project supports the costs for general psychological assessment and counseling up to KRW 250,000 per resident at high risk of suicide or mental illness.

Gangdong-gu is planning to redesign their website for the Mental Health Welfare Center by September in order to provide user-friendly psychological assessment services to the residents. The residents will be able to get easy access to psychological assessments using a QR code and get customized services depending on the results.

Mayor Lee Jung Hun said, “As COVID-19 continues to rage, more and more people are suffering from different psychological disorders such as anxiety, depression and lethargy. We will expand our mental healthcare services so that the residents can take care of their mental health and overcome COVID-19.”

<Related Photos>

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  Lee Jung Hun, Mayor of Gangdong-gu

  

  Bean sprout growing kit