Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

Yo Times
EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS i RY
Second Regular Session &

HOUSE BILL NO. 7210

Introduced by ANG PROBINSYANO
Party-List Representative Alfred Delos Santos

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Article Il, Section 15 of the 1987 Constitution makes it the State’s
responsibility to “protect and promote the right to health of the people” and to
“instill health consciousness among them. Acting upon this, in 2018, Republic
‘Act No 11036 (“Mental Health Act”) was passed, which, in Section 3 thereof,
bound the State to the following objectives:

SECTION 3. Objectives. — The objectives of this Act are as follows:

(a) Strengthen effective leadership and governance for mental health by,
among others, formulating, developing, and implementing national
policies, strategies, programs, and regulations relating to mental
health;

(b) Develop and establish a comprehensive, integrated, effective, and
efficient national mental health care system responsive to the
psychiatric, neurologic, and psychosocial needs of the Filipino people;

(c) Protect the rights and freedoms of persons with psychiatric, neurologic,
and psychosocial health needs;

(a) Strengthen information systems, evidence and research for mental
health;

(e} Integrate mental health care in the basic health services; and

() Integrate strategies promoting mental health in educational
institutions, the workplace, and in communities.

It is in furtherance of these policies and commitments that this Bill is
proposed. This Bill firstly aims to establish a mental health emergency hotline.
The hotline shall be operational 24/7, with call centers established in every
region, so that any and all callers can, and will be, immediately assisted.
Secondly, it seeks to put into place barangay mental health workers and
city/municipal mental health professionals. The barangay mental health
workers, in particular, shall (1) maintain close contact with those most in need


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of mental health services and (2) take charge of building community awareness
of, thereby boosting the accessibility of, the government's mental health services.

It is for the foregoing premises that the approval of this Bill is earnestly

sought.

Alfred C. Delos Santos
Representative, Ang Probinsyano Partylist


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

7210
HOUSE BILL NO.

Introduced by ANG PROBINSYANO
Party-List Representative Alfred Delos Santos

AN ACT PROVIDING FOR A MORE ACCESSIBLE MENTAL HEALTH
SERVICE THROUGH THE CREATION OF MENTAL HEALTH
CONSULTATION DESKS AND GOVERNMENT-RUN MENTAL HEALTH
HOTLINE

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

SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the “Accessible Mental
Health Services Act.”

SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. ~ It is the policy of the state to protect
and promote the right to health of the people and instill health consciousness
‘among them, It is likewise the policy of the State to ensure that mental health is
prioritized as an equally important component of overall health of a person. To
his end, the State shall endeavor to make mental health services more accessible
by bringing it as close to every Filipino family in the barangay level. The State
shall also provide avenues to Filipinos who need immediate medical assistance
with regard to their mental health conditions.

SECTION 3. Definition. - For purposes of this Act, the following terms shall
mean:

a) “Mental health refers” to a state of well-being in which the individual
realizes one’s own abilities 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;

b) «Mental health condition” refers to a neurologic or psychiatric condition
characterized by the existence of a recognizable, clinically-significant


disturbance in an individual’s cognition, emotional regulation, or behavior that
reflect a genetic or acquired dysfunction in the neurobiological, psychosocial, or
developmental processes underlying mental functioning. The determination of
neurologic and psychiatric conditions shall be based on scientifically-accepted
medical nomenclature and best available scientific and medical evidence;

c) “Mental health professional” refers to a medical doctor, psychologist,
nurse, social worker, or any other appropriately-trained and qualified person
with specific skills relevant to the provision of mental health services;

d) “Mental health services” refer to psychological, 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) “Mental health worker” refers to a trained person, volunteer, or advocate
engaged in mental health promotion, providing support services under the
supervision of a mental health professional;

) “Psychiatric or neurologic emergency’ refers to a condition presenting a
serious and immediate threat to the health and well-being of a service user or
any other person affected by a mental health condition, or to the health and well-
being of others, requiring immediate medical intervention; and

g) “Psychosocial problem’ refers to a condition that indicates the existence
of dysfunctions in a person’s behavior, thoughts and feelings brought about by
sudden, extreme, prolonged or cumulative stressors in the physical or social
environment.

SECTION 4. Creation and Operation of a Mental Health Emergency Hotline.
— The Department of Health, with the assistance of the National
Telecommunications Commission (NTC) and Department of Information and
Communications Technology (DICT) shall establish a national mental health
emergency hotline aimed at providing telephone and cellphone numbers which
the public may call for immediate assistance and medical intervention regarding
psychiatric or neurological emergencies.

‘The hotline shall be manned by mental health workers, under the close
supervision of mental health professionals. It shall run twenty-four hours a day,
seven days a week, and shall be available to answer calls and send medical
response teams in the fastest possible time. The DOH shall, in consultation with
experts from the mental health profession, create the call structure, provision of
emergency psychological intervention through telephone, and others kinds of
assistance to be provided, aside from referring the case to the nearest
government hospital.


A centralized national call center shall be established and it shall refer
each mental health emergency to the nearest government hospital to the patient
for immediate action. They shall also alert the mental health worker or workers
posted in the barangay where the person needing immediate mental health
intervention in order for the former to be the first responder and assist the latter
and his or her family.

SECTION 5. Better Access to Mental Health Information, Support, and
Potential Interventions through a Barangay Mental Health Worker and
City/ Municipal Mental Health Professional. - There shall be at least one (1) city
or municipal mental health professional posted in the city or municipal health
center. He or she shall provide mental health services to residents of the city or
municipality and supervise the barangay mental health workers assigned within
the LGU’s territory.

He or she shall also lead the conduct of small discussion groups or forum
within the community about mental health with the goal of breaking the
misinformation and stigma around mental health and mental disorders. A report
on the progress of the said program shall be submitted to the regional offices of
DOH annually.

‘There shall be at least one (1) mental health worker in every barangay in
the Philippines. The barangay mental health worker shall complete the necessary
training as determined by the DOH.

The said barangay mental health worker shall be posted in the barangay
health clinics and shail serve as the community’s first responder and field
personnel in all matters relating to mental health.

The following shall be the main duties of a barangay mental health worker:

a) regularly visit persons diagnosed as having a mental health condition
residing in their barangay;

b) assist persons with mental health conditions and their families in
accessing mental health services in government hospitals;

c) assist the mental health professional in the conduct of small discussion
groups or forum within the community about mental health;

d) assist persons who wish to consult with mental health professionals
and connect them with mental health professionals or institutions providing
mental health services; and

e) other tasks that the city or municipal mental health professional may
assign from time to time.


SECTION 6. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The DOH, with the
assistance of the relevant government agencies, shall provide for the
implementing rules and regulations for this Act within six (6) months from its
effectivity.

SECTION 7. Appropriations. ~The amount of twenty-five million pesos (PhP
25,000,000.00) shall be appropriated for the initial implementation of the
provisions of this Act. Thereafter, such sums as may be necessary for the
continued implementation of the Act shall be regularly incorporated in the
annual General Appropriations Act (GAA).

SECTION 8. Separability Clause. - If any provision or part of this Act is
held invalid or unconstitutional, the remaining provisions or parts unaffected
shall remain in full force and effect.

SECTION 9. Repealing Clause. - All laws, executive orders, presidential
decrees or issuances, letters of instruction, administrative orders, rules, and
regulations contrary to or inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby
repealed, amended, or modified accordingly.

SECTION 10. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days
after its publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general
circulation.

Approved,