1,595 People Have Made Use of COVID-19 Mental Health and Psychosocial Services

We have a system to find out the data and the assistance process

Jakarta Health Agency has noted that as many as 1,595 people have used mental health and psychosocial services since it is operated on March 30 to April 24. This service is opened for people under monitoring (ODP) and patients under surveillance (PDP) and mild COVID-19 positive patients undergoing independent isolation.

"Besides people who do have a history or problems related to COVID-19, their clients also include the families of patients who need assistance as sometimes the patient's family is also anxious," expressed Jakarta Health Agency Head, Widyastuti, Tuesday (4/28).

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She explained residents who need this service can access the website at sahjiwa-dinkes.jakarta.go.id/, then press Bercerita button. In this service, psychologists for mental health will contact patients to provide motivation and enthusiasm and keep thinking positive.

"We do it via online, telephone or Whatsapp, still prioritizing physical distancing, but if it is emergency, we will do it face to face," she explained.

While those who call the call center 112 and need further counseling will be forwarded to the nearest Puskesmas service hotline according to the client's domicile.

"We also gave debriefing to officers about communication for psychosocial services thus they are capable of giving a simpler answer before the patient is referred to a psychologist," she uttered.

To support it, her agency has cooperated with the Indonesian Psychiatric Association (PDSKJI), Indonesian Psychologists Association (HIMPSI) and Clinical Psychologist Association (IPK).

She also has a team that compiles a mental health and psychosocial support system for recording and reporting such as name, national identity number (NIK) and address based data. The data is then reported to the Health Agency every Monday and Thursday.

"We have a system to find out the data and the assistance process thus we can map whether it is caused by trauma or mental health problems," she said.