18111 Mental Health Support Hotline launched four new features today to offer more thoughtful, convenient, and comprehensive services, with a view to further enhancing mental health support for members of the public. The four new features of the 18111 Mental Health Support Hotline are as follows:(1) WhatsApp supportHaving regard to modern communication habits of the public, the Hotline now offers WhatsApp support, allowing them to send instant messages to the 18111 Mental Health Support Hotline and receive immediate online support from trained personnel. This feature is not only suitable for young people and persons in need who may feel hesitant or find it inconvenient to make phone calls, but also enables citizens with hearing or speech impairments to seek assistance in a more convenient manner, thereby enhancing the service's flexibility and accessibility.(2) Multi-language supportThe 18111 Mental Health Support Hotline now supports 12 languages. In addition to the original Cantonese, Mandarin, and English, the Hotline has expanded to support nine ethnic minority languages, namely Hindi, Nepali, Urdu, Punjabi, Bahasa Indonesia, Tagalog, Vietnamese, Bengali, and Thai. This enhancement improves service accessibility, enabling people using different languages to receive the support they need.(3) Scheduled callbackMembers of the public can now schedule a callback at a convenient time in advance via phone, voicemail, or WhatsApp. Trained personnel will contact them at a scheduled time, offering more flexible and thoughtful mental health support.(4) Additional optional servicesApart from talking with personnel of the Hotline, members of the public can opt to receive information on support services and stress management techniques or listen to life stories shared by persons in mental recovery on ways to cope with difficult situations and experiences in seeking help (Real People Library). These options, available via voice navigation or WhatsApp, enable members of the public to have instant access to information on other support services and advice on emotional relief.
(The video is broadcast in Chinese)For more details, please visit the Shall We Talk thematic website.