Strengthening mental health for migrant population: An ecosystem approach

COVID-19 and its impact and containment measures accentuated the challenges that migrant workers (MWs) faced including mental health. In Sep 2020, Singapore's Ministry of Manpower (MOM) formed a multi-agency taskforce called Project DAWN, and seeded a population health framework for MWs’ mental health support through: 1.Mental and social wellness awareness and promotion; 2. Identification of at-risk patients and risk factors; 3. Screening for mental health issues; 4. Surveillance for mental and emotional distress: 5. Counselling, and training of para-counsellors; 6. Timely escalation of care; 7. Provision of post-intervention support. Project DAWN's initiatives were co-created and co-delivered with social services agencies for effectiveness and relevance. It built on existing systems for expedited implementations while keeping the initiatives sustainable. Appropriate solutions were introduced to address care gaps. At the 2-year mark, a mixed-method analysis was done comprising focused group discussions with 84 stakeholders and data from helplines and distress incidents. Qualitatively, respondents cited materials to raise awareness were clear and helpful, trained peer support leaders (PSLs) could apply skills, processes were formed to enable officers, nurses and hospitals to support MWs’ recovery. Quantitatively, there was doubling of helpline callers from 2021 vs 2022 and a stabilisation of distress incidents. Other findings include: a) Creation and dissemination of translated mental health information to stakeholders b) Campaigns garnering >320k FB views and >1.7M TikTok views c) >750 MWs and >90% ground officers trained in basic psychological first aid d) Mental health assessment and basic psychiatric treatment included in primary care services coverage KEY MESSAGES: • Project DAWN and Singapore’s mental health programmes for MWs harnessed the public, private, civil and philantrophic communities and adopted an ecosystem approach for effectiveness and sustainability. • This is extended for another 3-year series of interventions.