INTERIOR and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla on Monday said the soon-to-be-launched Unified 911 Emergency System will include a helpdesk for mental health concerns.
Speaking at a press briefing in Quezon City, Remulla said trained professionals from the National Center for Mental Health (NCMH) will be deployed to provide psychosocial support. “Mayroon kaming counselors na kung may nararamdaman ang ating kabataan, o alam n’yong may nararamdaman kayo, pwedeng tawagan at mayroong pwedeng rumesponde,” he said.
One desk in the 911 command center will be designated for mental health intervention. “Out of 50,000 calls a day ang capacity, we anticipate maybe 2% tungkol sa mental health ang tatawag dyan,” he added.
The DILG Chief also said that the government will invest in communication equipment, police vehicles, and fire trucks to boost the response time of first responders.
Remulla said the full nationwide rollout is targeted by August or September this year. “Kapag operate namin, magiging dispatch center yung mga LGUs,” he explained, noting that existing local emergency hubs will be tapped to ensure efficiency.
Aside from mental health-related concerns, the 911 system will accept reports on crime, health emergencies, fire incidents, and other suspicious activity.
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