Gyeonggi-do Expands Medical Expense Support for Youth Stress Due to COVID-19 and Other Causes

[Asia Economy (Suwon) = Reporter Lee Young-gyu] Gyeonggi Province has expanded the target diseases of the "Youth Mind Health Treatment Expense Support Project" (Youth Mind Care), which supports psychiatric outpatient treatment expenses for young people regardless of income conditions, from existing schizophrenia and depression to include stress, neuralgia, and more.

The Youth Mind Health Treatment Expense Support Project provides up to 360,000 KRW per person annually in outpatient treatment expenses to Gyeonggi Province youth aged 19 to 34 who have been newly diagnosed with a psychiatric disorder within the past five years, regardless of registration at mental health welfare centers or income criteria. Given the importance of consistent treatment in the early stages of mental illness, the project has been implemented since last year to promote early recovery of young people's mental health.

Previously, the supported diseases were limited to psychiatric disease codes F20?29 (schizophrenia, schizotypal and delusional disorders) or F30?39 (mood [affective] disorders including bipolar disorder and depression), but from last month, F40?48 (neurotic, stress-related, and somatoform disorders) have been newly added.

This expansion reflects consideration of young people's mental health issues such as economic difficulties, severe stress, and anxiety due to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic.

According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the proportion of depression risk groups in their 20s and 30s was 24.3% and 22.6%, respectively, the highest among all age groups. Based on 2019 psychiatric treatment statistics in the province, there were 181,000 cases of F30?39 and 176,000 cases of F40?48, indicating a significant number of patients with F40?48 disorders as well.

Additionally, the exclusion criteria for support have been narrowed from "health insurance premium delinquents" to "those restricted from benefits due to health insurance premium delinquency," allowing more young people to benefit.

Applicants wishing to receive support can apply to one of the 31 mental health welfare centers in the province's cities and counties after outpatient treatment (initial diagnosis within five years).

Ryu Young-cheol, Director of the Gyeonggi Provincial Health and Wellness Bureau, emphasized, "In the ongoing difficulties caused by COVID-19, we have prepared measures to strengthen support for resolving psychological and emotional problems of Gyeonggi youth. We will continue to do our best to help young people regain their mental health."

From the second half of last year through the first half of this year, the province has assigned dedicated personnel for youth mental health to all 31 mental health welfare centers across the cities and counties. In addition, to improve young people's access to mental health services, the province is also promoting the "Youth Mind TokTok" project, a visiting counseling service linked with city and county "Youth Space" facilities frequently used by young people.

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