World Mental Health Day: Gatchalian bats for mental health services in basic education schools

Amid the celebration of World Mental Health Day today, October 10, Senator Win Gatchalian is reiterating his push to institutionalize mental health services in public and private schools nationwide.

Considering the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and prolonged school closures, Gatchalian emphasized the need to ensure that recovery efforts include psychosocial support for both learners and teachers. Gatchalian's Basic Education Mental Health and Well-Being Promotion Act (Senate Bill No. 379) aims to institutionalize the Mental Health and Well-Being Program to provide mental health services, emotional, developmental and preventive programs, and other support services.

Under the proposed measure, the Department of Education (DepEd) will be mandated to establish and maintain a Mental Health and Well-Being Center in every public school. These centers will deliver mental and well-being services to address the mental, emotional, and developmental needs of learners, teachers, and non-teaching personnel. The DepEd will also ensure that these centers are established and maintained in all private schools.

"Dahil sa naging pinsala ng pandemya sa ating mga mag-aaral at mga guro, ngayon nila higit na kailangan ng mga serbisyo at programang mangangalaga sa kanilang mental health. Kaya naman sa pagbangon ng sektor ng edukasyon, titiyakin din natin na magkakaroon ng sapat na mental health services sa bawat paaralan ng bansa," said Gatchalian, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Basic Education.

Gatchalian's bill also seeks to hire and deploy mental health professionals in public elementary, secondary, and vocational institutions. To address the shortage of Guidance Counselors nationwide, Gatchalian proposes higher salaries and the creation of a sufficient number of plantilla items for the positions of Guidance Counselor. He also proposes the creation of a position to be known as Guidance Associate.

Under Gatchalian's proposal, the Salary Grade (SG) of Guidance Counselor I will be raised from SG 11 (P25,439) to SG 16 (P38,150), Guidance Counselor II from SG 12 (P27,608) to SG 17 (P41,508), and Guidance Counselor III from SG 13 (P29,798) to SG 18 (P45,203).

Those who graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Guidance and Counseling, Psychology, Social Work, Human Services, and other allied disciplines or any related courses are qualified to serve as Guidance Associates. Gatchalian flagged that while the DepEd requires one Guidance Counselor for every 500 students, the number of Guidance Counselors is not enough for over 28 million learners nationwide. The Philippines has only 4,069 Guidance Counselors as of June 2022 since the first batch took the licensure examinations in 2008.

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Mensahe ni Gatchalian sa World Mental Health Day: Sapat na mental health services sa mga paaralan

Sa gitna ng pagdiriwang ng World Mental Health Day, muling iginiit ni Gatchalian ang kanyang panukalang tiyakin ang pagkakaroon ng sapat na mental health services sa mga pribado at pampublikong paaralan sa bansa.

Dahil sa pinsalang idinulot ng pandemya ng COVID-19 at ang kawalan ng face-to-face classes, binigyang diin ni Gatchalian ang pangangailangan ng psychosocial support sa mga guro at mag-aaral bilang bahagi ng pagbangon ng sektor ng edukasyon.

Layunin ng Basic Education Mental Health and Well-Being Promotion Act (Senate Bill No. 379), na inihain ni Gatchalian, na gawing institutionalized ang mental health services, emotional, developmental at preventive programs, at iba pang support services sa mga paaralan.

Sa ilalim ng naturang panukala, magiging mandato sa Department of Education (DepEd) ang pagtatatag at pagpapatakbo ng Mental Health and Well-Being Center sa bawat pampublikong paaralan. Ang mga center na ito ay inaasahang tutugon sa pangangailangang mental, emotional, at developmental ng mga mag-aaral, guro, at mga kawani. Titiyakin din ng DepEd na ang mga center na ito ay itatatag sa mga pribadong paaralan.

"Dahil sa naging pinsala ng pandemya sa ating mga mag-aaral at mga guro, ngayon nila higit na kailangan ng mga serbisyo at programang mangangalaga sa kanilang mental health. Kaya naman sa pagbangon ng sektor ng edukasyon, titiyakin din natin na magkakaroon ng sapat na mental health services sa bawat paaralan ng bansa," ani Gatchalian, Chairman ng Senate Committee on Basic Education.

Layon din ng panukala ni Gatchalian ang pag-hire ng mga mental health professionals sa mga pampublikong paaralan sa elementary at high school, kabilang ang mga vocational institutions. Upang matugunan ang kakulangan ng mga Guidance Counselors sa bansa, iminumungkahi ni Gatchalian ang mas mataas na sahod at ang pagkakaroon ng sapat na plantilla items para sa posisyon ng Guidance Counselor. Iminumungkahi niya rin ang paglikha ng posisyon na tatawaging Guidance Associate.

Sa ilalim ng panukala ni Gatchalian ang Salary Grade (SG) ng Guidance Counselor I ay itataas sa SG 16 (P38,150) mula SG 11 (P25,439), Guidance Counselor II sa SG 17 (P41,508) mula SG 12 (P27,608), at Guidance Counselor III sa SG 18 (P45,203) mula SG 13 (P29,798).

Ang mga nagtapos ng Bachelor's degree in Guidance and Counseling, Psychology, Social Work, Human Services, at iba pang allied disciplines at related courses ay magiging kwalipikadong maging Guidance Associates.

Pinuna ni Gatchalian na bagama't kinakailangan ng DepEd ang isang Guidance Counselor sa bawat limang-daang mag-aaral, hindi sapat ang bilang ng mga Guidance Counselors para sa mahigit dalawampu't walong (28) milyong mga mag-aaral sa buong bansa. Buhat noong Hunyo 2022, meron lamang mahigit apat na libong (4,069) mga Guidance Counselor simula noong kumuha ng licensure examinations ang unang batch noong 2008.

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