Mind Health Assessment for Civil Petitioners in Nowon-gu

New Recruitment of Customized Male Psychological Counselors for Middle-Aged and Older Men at Risk of Suicide...Complete Survey of Single-Male Households Aged 50 to 64 to Prevent Solitary Deaths

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Nowon-gu (District Mayor Oh Seung-rok) is taking measures to protect residents from the increasingly prevalent COVID-19 depression caused by the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic.

From the 13th until the end of this year, the district office will provide a "Mental Health Assessment" service aimed at overcoming COVID-19 blues to visitors of the district office.

Health center psychological counselors and professionals will use the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) to evaluate participants' mental health.

The questionnaire consists of 9 items and classifies mental health into four stages based on the score: ▲Healthy mental state (0?4 points) ▲Mild depressive state (5?9 points) ▲Moderate depressive state (10?14 points) ▲Severe depressive state (15 points or more).

Residents scoring 10 points or higher for depression will receive continuous case management through linkage with psychological counselors at the local community service centers for systematic support.

The survey takes about 5 minutes, and participants will receive small souvenirs such as masks and water bottles. On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, services are available both in the morning and afternoon, while on Tuesdays and Thursdays, services are provided only in the morning.

In June, after analyzing suicide statistics over three years, the district identified middle-aged men aged 40 and above as a high-risk group and newly recruited eight male psychological counselors to effectively assist them.

The counselors are assigned to community service centers and monitor high-risk groups such as elderly living alone through phone calls and visits, also providing companionship services.

The district also implements projects to prevent solitary deaths among single middle-aged male households. First, safety management using Internet of Things (IoT) technology is applied. Environmental data such as temperature, humidity, illumination, and motion collected by sensors are analyzed and categorized into four stages?‘Normal,’ ‘Caution,’ ‘Alarm,’ and ‘Danger’?based on periods of inactivity. When a danger alert sounds, a first phone check is made, and if unanswered, an immediate home visit is conducted to ensure safety. Fifty high-risk households are targeted.

The "Our Neighborhood Care Team" is also being expanded. This service involves residents familiar with local conditions identifying vulnerable groups and those in welfare blind spots, checking on them via phone calls and visits. Currently, 53 members are active across 19 neighborhoods, and when suspicious households are found, they are immediately linked to social welfare officials and supported to build networks with nearby neighbors.

Additionally, from this month until the end of August, the district will conduct a living condition survey targeting single male households aged 50 to 64. Approximately 7,900 households in this age group are included, with a focus on vulnerable housing areas such as goshiwon (small dormitory rooms), rooftop rooms, and semi-basements. Based on the survey results, the district plans to implement customized solitary death prevention projects including care support.

Oh Seung-rok, Mayor of Nowon-gu, said, “It is unfortunate that many people are experiencing depression and anxiety due to social distancing caused by COVID-19. Through this project, we will closely monitor the mental health of isolated and marginalized residents and establish a thorough welfare safety net.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.