Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

TWENTIETH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House BILL No. __324

Introduced by: Hon. Iris Marie D. Montes

AN ACT
STRENGTHENING THE MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES OF STATE UNIVERSITIES
AND COLLEGES AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Article II, Section 15 of the 1987 Philippine Constitution provides that, "The
State shall protect and promote the right to health of the people and instill health
consciousness among them."

Repubiic Act No. 11036, otherwise known as the “Mental Health Act", affirms
the basic right of ali Filipinos to mental health, as well as the fundamental rights of
the people who require mental health services.

The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) during a Senate finance
subcommittee's hearing on CHED's proposed P31.6 billion budget for 2025 revealed
that more higher education students cited mental health issues as a reason for
dropping out more than academic difficulty”.

Recently, it was reported that a University of Santo Tomas (UST) graduating
physical therapy student committed suicide after allegedly failing a subject twice,
falling short by only 1.5% on the second try.

According to the Worid Health Organization, depression, anxiety and
pehaviorai disorders are among the leading causes of illness and disability among
adolescents. It also notes that suicide is the third leading cause of death among
those aged 15-29 years old.

The United Nations agency warns that “The consequences of failing to
address adolescent mental health conditions extend to adulthood, impairing both
physical and mental health and limiting opportunities to lead fulfilling lives as
adults.”

For this reason, this bill, which was approved on third and final reading
during the previous Congress, seeks to strengthen the mental health services in the
State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) by establishing a Mental Health Office with
sufficiently trained professionals and staff.

Mental Health Offices will be directed to set up campus hotlines with
dedicated and trained guidance counselors to provide assistance to the whole SUC
community, especially the students, with special attention given to those identified

CHED: More college students cited mental health as reason for dropping out, Hanna
Bordey, GMA Integrated News, October 1, 2024
(nttps://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/nation/922218/ched-more-college-
students-cited-mental-heaith-as-reason-for-dropping-out/story/)

Mental heaith of adolescents, World Health Organization (httes://wws

ipiessact gaith) Accessed on 26 May 20

whe.int/news-



co Nave mentai health problems or conditions and those at risk of committing
suicide.

These offices are mandated to hire, train, and deploy mental health
professionals who shall serve as the mental health service personnel of the SUCs
and to ensure that all SUCs, through their respective Mental Health Offices, shall
nave access to the services of at least three (3) SUC-based mental health service
personnel, including one (1) psychologist, at any given time.

Moreover, this bill is cognizant of the lack of mental health professionals in
the country, hence, it proposes institutionalizing career development for mental
health professionals by providing enhanced benefits.

In view thereof, approval of this bill is earnestly sought.

IRIS MARIE D. MONTES

Kababaihan, Kabalikatan para sa Kapakanan
at Kauniaran ng Bayan (4K) Party-list


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

TWENTIETH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 324

Introduced by: Hon. Iris Marie D. Montes

AN ACT
STRENGTHENING THE MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES OF STATE UNIVERSITIES
AND COLLEGES AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR

Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in
Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. Short Tit/e. - This Act shall be known as the “State Universities and
Colieges (SUCs) Mental Health Service Act”.

SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is hereby declared the policy of the State to
uphold the basic right of every Filipino to sound mental health and ensure access to
appropriate interventions, therapy, and treatment as needed. Pursuant to this
mandate, the State shall institute policies to promote the mental health and
weliness of students, faculty, teaching and non-teaching staff, and other personnel
in the campuses of SUCs through, among others, the establishment of a Mental
Health Office in all SUCs, and the hiring, deployment and training of additional
SUCs-based mental health service personnel.

All SUCs shall ensure that proper and adequate mental health services are
provided to their students, faculty, non-teaching staff and other personnel. In this
regard, all SUCs, through their Mental Health Offices, shall design programs and
provide services that shall assist students in resolving emotional, behavioral, and
psychosocial issues that are barriers to learning and enhance the preparedness of
the faculty, teaching, non-teaching staff, and other personnel to foster an enabling
environment for students to acquire knowledge and to develop intellectually.

SEC. 3. Definition of Terms. - As used in this Act:

(a) Guidance counselor refers to an individual who possesses a license or
certification granted by the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) and holds at
the minimum a master's degree in Guidance and Counseling, Guidance, or
Counseling, without prejudice to those registered under the grandfather's clause of
Republic Act No. 9258, otherwise known as the “Guidance and Counseling Act of
2004”, and is competent to perform guidance and counseling, career guidance and
mpiement mental health programs;

(2) Mentai health refers to a state of well-being in which the individual realizes
one’s own adilities and potentials, copes adequately with the normal stresses of life,
displays resilience in the face of extreme life events, works productively and
fruitfully, and is able to make a positive contribution to the community;

(c) Mental health professional refers to a medical doctor, nurse, guidance
counselor, psychologist, or any other appropriately-trained and qualified person
with specific skills relevant to, and necessary for, the provision of mental health
services;


(a) Mental health services refer to the psychosocial, psychiatric, or neurologic
activities and programs along the whole range of the mental health support services
including promotion, prevention, treatment, and aftercare, which are provided by
mental health facilities and mental health professionals;

(e) Psychologist refers to a natural person who has professional training and
clinical skilis in psychotherapeutic intervention and assessment for mental health
problems and possesses a license or certification granted by the PRC and holds at
tne minimum a master’s degree in Psychology without prejudice to those granted
licenses under the grandfather's clause of Republic Act No. 10029, otherwise known
as the “Philippine Psychology Act of 2009"; and

(f) SUCs-based mental health service personnel refers to any mental health
professional who is hired or deployed by, or has a contract with an SUC to render
mental health services in its campus.

SEC. 4. Establishment of Mental Health Offices in All SVCs Campuses. -The
Commission on Higher Education (CHED) shall, subject to the rules and regulations
of the Civil Service Commission (CSC) and the Department of Budget and
Management (DBM), and the policies, standards, and guidelines of the CHED,
require all SUCs to establish a Mental Health Office in all their campuses.

The Mental Health Offices shall set up campus hotlines with dedicated and
trained guidance counselors to provide assistance to the whole SUC Community,
especially the students. Special attention shall be given to those identified to have
mental health problems or conditions, especially those at risk of committing suicide.

The CHED and the SUCs, through their Mental Health Offices, shall initiate and
sustain @ heightened campaign to raise the collective consciousness about mental
nealth. The awareness campaign shall give special emphasis to the issues of suicide
prevention, stress handling, mental health and nutrition, and guidance and
counseling. The campaign shall ensure that the whole SUC community, especially
the students, is aware of in-campus mental health services.

The SUCs, through the Mental Health Offices, shall implement mental health
programs and projects designed to promote the mental health and well-being of
faculty, students, and personnel alike.

Each Mental Health Office shall be manned by trained mental health
professionals who shall serve as the mental health service personnel of the SUCs.

The SUCs-based mental health service personnel of the Mental Health Offices,
including those who shall be hired upon the effectivity of this Act, shall create a
mechanism for timely crisis intervention and suicide prevention and the appropriate
response strategies for the whole SUCs community, especially the students.

The CHED shall, in coordination with the SUCs, establish mechanisms to
maximize existing services offered by other executive departments such as the
attached agencies to the Department of Health (DOH) dealing with mental health
and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

SEC. 5. Hiring, Training and Deployment of Mental Health Professionals. —
Subject to the guidelines set by the CHED and the SUCs, CSC and DBM, the SUCs
shall hire, train and deploy mental health professionals, including a psychologist, to
the Menta! Health Office to ensure that each SUC shall havé mental health
professionals or mentai health service providers within five (5) years from the
effectivity of this Act.


The SUCs shall, in coordination with the CEIED, prepare the appropriate plantilla
positions to be submitted to the DBM for evaluation and approval for the additional
SUC-based mental health service personnel to be hired under this Act, subject to
the existing organizational, staffing, position classification and compensation
policies, rules, and regulations.

Notwithstanding the provisions of Republic Act No. 9258, otherwise known as
the “Guidance and Counseling Act of 2004”, SUCs may hire, as may be necessary,
college graduates who do not yet qualify as mental health professionals but who
possess a background in psychology or similar fields to provide mental health
services; Provided, That the CHED shall provide for the appropriate training and
instruction of such college graduates in order for them to gain and develop the
necessary skills to render counselling services to faculty, students and school
personnel, and assist them in managing mental health issues: Provided, further,
That such services shall be rendered under the supervision of qualified mental
health professionals within the schools division; Provided, finally. That a college
graduate hired to work in a Mental Health Office shall, within three (3) years from
the date of employment in the SUC, secure the appropriate license to practice as a
mental health professional and meet the relevant qualification requirements of their
position.

The CHED and the SUCs, through the Mental Health Offices, shall formulate a
scheme for the continuous training of mental heaith service personnel, taking into
consideration the latest scientific studies, psycho-social approaches and know-how
on mental health and mental health services, in accordance with the provisions of
Republic Act No. 10912, otherwise known as the “Continuing Professional
Development Act of 2016”.

SEC. 6. Professional and Career Development of Mental Health Professionals. —
The CHED shall, in coordination with the DBM, CSC, DOH and the PRC;

(a) Prepare a uniform career and personnel development plan that shall include
provisions on personal wellness, merit promotion, performance evaluation, in-
service training, graduate scholarships, research grants, and incentive award
system;

(b) Match the salary grades of mental health professionals with related plantilla
items under the provisions of Republic Act No. 6758, otherwise known as the
“Compensation and Position Classification Act of 1989,” as amended;

(c) Align the qualifications and standards for the qualification outcomes of
Mental Health Professionals to the provisions of Republic Act No. 10968, otherwise
known as the “Philippine Qualifications Framework Act”;

(d) Revisit the organizational structure of the SUCs to provide competent and
professional personnel who shall provide supervision and technical assistance to the
guidance counselors;

(e) Review, revise and develop the duties and responsibilities of mental health
professionals in accordance with laws governing their professions;

(f) Prepare a performance evaluation plan that considers the improvement of
the efficiency and organizational effectiveness of each counselor: Provided, That
each employee shall be informed regularly by their immediate supervisor of the
evaluation of their performance; and

(g) Provide periodic training, aimed at retooling and upgrading the skills of
mental health professionals.


SEC. 7. Salary Scale. - The career and salary scales of mental health
professionals in SUCs shall provide for a gradual progression from a minimum to a
maximum salary by means of regular increments, to be given regularly based on
merit and competencies.

The entry level of mental health professionals shall not be lower than Salary
Grade 16. Mental health professionals hired by SUCs as Psychometricians shall be
hired at Salary Grade 11 at the entry level.

SEC.8, Contractual Hiring of Mental Health Personnel. - In case of a scarcity of
mental health professionals who are available to work on a full-time basis in a
Mental Health Office, the concerned sue may hire qualified professionals on a
contractual or part-time basis, subject to the evaluation and approval of the DBM.

SEC. 9. Benefits. —All mental health professionals employed in the various
Menta! Health Offices shall enjoy the rights, privileges, and other benefits provided
in Republic Act No. 7305, otherwise known as the “Magna Carta of Public Health
Workers”, Republic Act No. 11036, otherwise known as the “Mental Health Act”, and
other pertinent laws.

SEC. 10. Appropriations. — The amount necessary to carry out the provisions of
this Act shall be included in the Annual General Appropriations Act.

SEC. 11. Implementing Rules and Regulations. — Within sixty (60) days from
the effectivity of this Act, the CHED shall, in coordination with the DOH, the
Philippine Association of State Universities and Colleges, and other concerned
stakeholders, issue rules and regulations to govern the hiring, training and
deployment of guidance counselors, psychologists and other mental health service
personnel in SUCs, and for the implementation of this Act.

SEC. 12. Suppletory Application. — The applicable provisions of Republic Act No.
11036, otherwise known as the “Mental Health Act”, insofar as they are not
inconsistent with the provisions of this Act, shall apply suppletorily.

SEC. 13. Separability Clause. — If any provision of this Act is declared
unconstitutional, the remainder of this Act or any provision not affected, shall
remain in full force and effect.

SEC. 14. Repealing Clause. — Any law, presidential decree or issuance,
executive order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation
contrary to or inconsistent with the provisions of this Act is repealed, modified or
amended accordingly.

SEC. 15. Effectivity. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,