SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
Second Regular Session 
) 
SENATE 
Senate Bill No. 2299 
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'14 
JUL -7 AlD :06 
INTRODUCED BY SEN. JINGGOY EJERCITO ESTRADA 
AN ACT 
PROVIDING FOR A COMPREHENSIVE, ACCESSIBLE AND AFFORDABLE 
EARLY 
DETECTION 
AND 
TIMELY 
INTERVENTION 
SERVICES 
FOR 
CHILDREN WITH MENTAL ILLNESS 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
In 2004, Republic Act 9288, otherwise known as the "Newborn Screening Act" 
was signed into law to ensure that every baby is offered the opportunity to 
undergo newborn screening and be spared from heritable conditions that can 
lead to mental retardation and death if undetected and untreated. Then in 2009, 
a law with a more specified purpose, Republic Act 9709, otherwise known as the 
"Universal Newborn Hearing Screening and Intervention Act" was enacted "to 
formulate a comprehensive program for the prevention, early detection and 
diagnosis of congenital hearing loss among newborns and infants." 
While the aforementioned laws address the need for early detection of diseases 
among children, there is a need to focus more attention to early detection of 
mental illness among children. The Comparative Hospital Statistics for the years 
2006-2012 of the National Center for Mental Health indicates that the average 
number of inpatients is almost 3,000 while the number of outpatients is at 54,857 
in 2012. These figures definitely do not reflect the whole story because there are 
many unreported cases due to lack of awareness, denial, or shame of the 
patients' families. These statistics highlight the need to detect and address 
mental illness at the soonest time possible. This will be very helpful in relieving 
the patients and their families of the sufferings and sacrifices brought by their 
condition. 
The "Early Detection and Intervention Services for Children with Mental Illness 
Act" aims to address this concern from all facets: (a) promoting evidence-based 
intervention; (b) building a qualified and adequately trained workforce; (c) 
conducting a comprehensive public awareness campaign; and, (d) creating a 
quality children's mental health system. 
This measure was previously filed by Sen. Manny Villar in the 15th Congress. 
The immediate passage of this bill is earnestly sought. 
Senator 


SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
Second Regular Session 
) 
'14 
JUL -7 
A10 :06 
SENATE 
Senate Bill No. 
2299 
INTRODUCED BY SEN. JINGGOY EJERCITO ESTRADA 
AN ACT 
PROVIDING FOR A COMPREHENSIVE, ACCESSIBLE AND AFFORDABLE 
EARLY DETECTION 
AND 
TIMELY 
INTERVENTION 
SERVICES 
FOR 
CHILDREN WITH MENTAL ILLNESS 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines 
in Congress assembled: 
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SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Early Detection and 
2 
Intervention Services for Children with Mental Illness Acf'. 
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SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is the policy of the State to adopt an integrated 
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and comprehensive approach to health development which shall endeavor to 
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make essential goods, health and other social services available to all the people 
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at affordable cost. 
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SEC. 3. Definition of Terms. - As used in this Act, the following terms shall 
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mean: 
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(a) "Mental 
Illness" -
any of various 
psychiatric conditions, usually 
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characterized by impairment of a child's normal cognitive, emotional, or 
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behavioral functioning, and caused by physiological or psychosocial 
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factors; 
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(b) "Intervention" .- educational methods and positive behavioral support 
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strategies designed to improve the condition of a child suffering from 
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mental disorder. 
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SEC. 4. The Department of Health (DOH) shall undertake to develop a program 
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providing for comprehensive accessible and affordable early mental health 
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detection and timely intervention services for children. 
The objectives of this 
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program includes but not limited to the following: 
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(a) To increase awareness, reduce barriers to screening and diagnosis, 
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promote evidence-based interventions for children with mental disorder or 
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other developmental disabilities; 
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(b) To build a qualified and adequately trained workforce prepared to provide 
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mental health services for children and their families; 
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(c) To conduct a comprehensive, multi-faceted public awareness campaign to 
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reduce the stigma of mental illness as well as to educate families, the 
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general public and other key audiences about the benefits of children's 
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sOGial and emotional development, and how to access services; and, 
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(d) To create a quality-driven children's mental health system with shared 
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accountability among agencies and programs that conducts ongoing 
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needs assessments, uses outcome indicators and benchmarks to 
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measure progress, and implements quality data tracking and reporting 
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system. 
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SEC. 5. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The Department of Health shall 
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promUlgate the necessary rules and regulations to carry out the provisions of this 
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Act. 
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SEC. 6. Separability Clause. - If any provision of this Act shall at any time be 
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found to be unconstitutional or invalid, the remainder thereof not affected by such 
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declaration shall remain in full force and effect. 
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SEC. 7. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, rules or regulations inconsistent 
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with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly. 
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SEC. 8. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days 
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following its complete publication in two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
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Approved, 
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