Mr Masagos Zulkifli, Minister for Social and Family Development, Second Minister for Health

Distinguished Guests

Ladies and Gentlemen


A very good evening to everyone. It gives me great pleasure to join you today to kickstart Beyond the Label 2.0. This is the next phase of the Beyond the Label movement, as a lead-up to World Mental Health Day on 10 October. 

The National Council of Social Service (NCSS) launched the Beyond the Label, or BTL, movement in 2018. The BTL movement was started to address stigma surrounding mental health conditions and encourage individuals affected by mental health conditions to seek help early. The movement also aims to empower individuals to support their loved ones in their recovery journey.

COVID-19 tested our resilience at the individual and societal levels, giving new urgency to BTL’s mission. The uncertainties caused by the pandemic led many people in Singapore to experience psychological distress. Our struggles with mental health and well-being were brought to the fore. But this also encouraged more openness. It is good that we are having these conversations, as mental health conditions are important to address but not easy to discuss. 

During the pandemic, NCSS and its partners ramped up efforts to support people facing mental health challenges. The public was informed of helplines, counselling services and other mental health resources to encourage early help-seeking. At the national level, the Interagency Taskforce on Mental Health and Well-being was formed to oversee and coordinate whole-of-society mental health efforts. This included developing an overarching national strategy and action plan on mental health and well-being. The Taskforce recently concluded a public consultation in August to seek feedback on its preliminary recommendations to improve mental health and well-being. The Taskforce is reviewing the feedback and will share its findings soon. 

These efforts have encouraged more to come forward to seek help and have improved public attitudes towards persons with mental health conditions. The latest study conducted by NCSS in 2021 on public attitudes towards persons with mental health conditions found that six in ten respondents were willing to work with a person with a mental health condition. This improved from about five in ten respondents in the 2017 survey. However, about one in four agreed it was stressful to be co-workers with persons with mental health conditions. Only two in five working respondents agreed their organisation provided adequate support for their mental well-being. Much more need to be done to encourage inclusive workplaces.

We will also need to continue to look out for those with more needs. Among them are our children and youth, who face more difficulties navigating mental stressors and adolescent issues. For them, being socially included is important. The Study on Quality of Life of Children and Youth by NCSS highlighted that social inclusion is especially important for those with health, mental health, or developmental conditions to help them cope with their conditions. NCSS’s study also found that mental well-being is an important factor for the quality of life of all children and youth.

Therefore, there is a need to continue to grow a strong BTL movement to shift mindsets and create an inclusive society for persons with mental health conditions. Today, I am pleased to officially launch BTL 2.0. In this revamp of BTL, NCSS is harnessing the power of the collective by bringing together 26 partners across the People, Public and Private sectors to leverage their relevant expertise and experience in addressing stigma as well as promoting help-seeking behaviours and inclusive hiring practices. These partners form the BTL Collective led by TOUCH Community Services. In partnership with NCSS, the BTL Collective will galvanise more partners to drive grounds-up movement to achieve greater and sustainable impact. Thank you to all who have come on board.

I am heartened that the BTL Fest this year is designed to provide a safe space for participants to have conversations about mental health, and to encourage greater family and community support for persons with mental health conditions. There needs to be greater awareness that mental health exists on a spectrum. We should not erroneously associate criminality or violence with mental health conditions, as this is rarely the case. We must encourage early help-seeking and intervention so that mental health conditions can be better managed, and individuals can thrive despite their condition. We must look out for our loved ones and dispel the shame and stigma of seeking help. 

This is why the President’s Challenge launched a partnership with the Institute of Mental Health (IMH) to enhance the capabilities of social service agencies in providing mental health support for youth through a stepped care model. This allows mental healthcare to be right sited within the community, facilitating open conversations about mental health, while holistically addressing the social issues faced by youths and their families. The four social service agencies – Club HEAL, Singapore Association for Mental Health, Singapore Children’s Society and TOUCH Community Services – are currently undergoing training by IMH and will be equipped with the necessary expertise to provide timely interventions and support to the youths from next year. I look forward to the impact they will drive in the community and to more social service agencies stepping forward to help.

As a society, we need everyone to play their part. Beyond talking about mental health, we must actively reach out to people who may need help:

In this Year of Celebrating SG Families, let us prioritise our family members who may need a listening ear and encourage them to seek professional help early if they are not coping well.

Let us also look out for our friends and colleagues whom we see and interact with often. 

Employers can put in place training for mental health champions to provide peer support in the workplace. They can create mental health-friendly and inclusive workplaces by supporting and hiring persons with mental health conditions. 

For those who want to champion the fight against stigma, you can use the Beyond the Label resources to kickstart your own initiatives in your community.

Shifting the needle on mental health requires a whole-of-society effort. Together, we can build a more inclusive and caring Singapore. I wish everyone a great evening ahead. Thank you.