CPPCC member's proposal: improve accessibility of mental health services and include psychological counselling and treatment in medical insurance
At present, the detection rate of depression among Chinese adolescents has reached 24.6 per cent, and 26.4 per cent of the elderly population has symptoms of depression, making mental health problems a prominent challenge for the 'one old, one young' group. Several CPPCC members attending the two sessions in Beijing are concerned about this phenomenon, pointing out that mental health is an important part of physical health, and hoping that policy innovations will enhance the accessibility of mental health services, and in particular promote the inclusion of psychological counselling and treatment in the health insurance system.
Analysis of the Multimodal Mental Stress Assessment
- Current situation and challenges -
Insufficient medical insurance coverage: Currently, only about 10 provinces and cities, such as Beijing and Guangdong, have partially included psychological counselling and treatment in their medical insurance, and the reimbursement scope is limited to specific diseases such as 'organic mental disorders', and the reimbursement rate for depression and anxiety, which are highly prevalent among adolescents, is only 30% to 50%, and is mostly limited to tertiary hospitals. The reimbursement rate for depression and anxiety disorders, which are highly prevalent among adolescents, is only 30% to 50%, and is mostly limited to tertiary hospitals.
Service resources are uneven: the capacity of primary medical institutions to provide psychological services is weak; there is a lack of professionals in less developed regions; and it is difficult for rural and low-income groups to receive effective support.
Member Zhang Qicheng suggests -
Zhang Qicheng, a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and the first dean of the National College of Beijing University of Chinese Medicine (BUCM), suggests that policy support be given to enhance the accessibility of mental health services.
Improving the health insurance system: fully incorporating psychological counselling and treatment into the national health insurance catalogue, standardizing the pricing criteria for services, giving priority to the coverage of common psychological problems such as depression and anxiety among adolescents, and raising the reimbursement rate to more than 70 per cent.
Strengthening grass-roots services: setting up additional psychological service stations for the elderly in communities and incorporating them into designated health insurance points, and implementing 'zero out-of-pocket' subsidies for psychological screening and intervention for rural and low-income elderly people; Promoting the establishment of psychological screening and dynamic tracking mechanisms for high-risk students in schools.
Enabling digital technology: integrating online assessment, AI psychological intervention, and other digital services, developing 'mental companion robots', and setting up a nationwide interoperable 'mental health record'. Lowering the service threshold.
Member Zhai Meiqing suggested -
Zhai Meiqing, a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and chairman of the Fragrance Group, suggested focusing on adolescent mental health and building a multi-dimensional collaborative mechanism.
At the school level: mental health screening is conducted 1-2 times a year, mental health classes are made mandatory, and 100 per cent of the schools have built standardised psychological counselling rooms and opened green referral channels with tertiary hospitals.
At the family level: legalising the responsibility of family education, requiring parents to participate in mental health training at least once a semester, and mastering parent-child communication skills.
At the social level: building community psychological stations, promoting Internet-based psychological counselling, and incorporating psychological counselling into medical insurance, to open up the whole chain of 'early warning, referral and intervention'.
Tilted support for underdeveloped regions: providing psychological screening, online courses, and counselling for rural schools through AI technology, establishing a privacy protection mechanism, and making up for the shortage of teachers.
Campus Mental Health Assessment Smart Terminal
Campus Mental Health Assessment Workstation
- Consensus of Commissioners -
Both members emphasised the role of technology in promoting universal services. For example, AI psychosocial screening can quickly identify high-risk groups, and dynamic file management can facilitate cross-regional consultation and treatment; online counselling platforms can break through geographical constraints and alleviate the lack of resources at the grassroots level. In addition, the tiered reimbursement and differentiated subsidy policies can ensure that low-income groups can afford to see a doctor and prevent illnesses.
The inclusion of mental health services in health insurance is not only an upgrade of the healthcare system but also a manifestation of social equity. Through policy protection, resource sinking, and technology empowerment, China is expected to build a mental health support network covering the whole population and the whole life cycle, so that the concept of 'treating the sick before they get sick' can really come to fruition.