Commitment to Prevent and Address Mental Health Issues Among Children and Adolescents Must Be Strengthened

The Deputy Speaker of the People’s Consultative Assembly of Indonesia (MPR), Lestari Moerdijat, said that it requires commitment and real work from all parties to realise better preventive and responsive measures for mental health issues among children and adolescents. The Joint Decree (SKB) on Child Mental Health was signed by nine ministers at the Office of the Coordinating Ministry for Human Development and Culture (Kemenko PMK) on Thursday (5 March). Signing the SKB were the Minister of Home Affairs, Minister of Religious Affairs, Minister of Basic and Secondary Education, Minister of Health, Minister of Social Affairs, Minister of Communications and Digital, Minister of Population and Family Development, and Minister of Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection. According to Lestari (referred to as Rerie), the SKB should cultivate a strong commitment among all stakeholders to build an ecosystem that supports the mental development of children and adolescents in a positive direction. Rerie further argued that realisable cooperation among stakeholders to strengthen mental health for the next generation must be realised promptly, given the rising trend in youth suicide cases. Police data show suicide cases in the child age group (0-15) rose more than twofold in two years, from 604 cases in 2022 to 1,498 in 2024. Moreover, the 2024 National Survey on the Life Experience of Children and Adolescents (SNPHAR) recorded that 62.19% of children with mental health issues also experienced violence in the previous 12 months. According to Rerie, a member of the House of Representatives Commission X, strengthening family function and positive parenting among communities is among the aims of the SKB on Child Mental Health, but achieving it is not easy. The NasDem party’s senior figure hopes that the ministers’ efforts extend beyond merely signing the SKB; several decisions already taken must be translated into concrete actions. Therefore, she stated, the series of cases of violence and suicide among children must be reduced and addressed as part of producing a generation that is competitive in the future. The development of the digital world must be balanced with an adequate protection system for every citizen, including women and children, from the associated threats. The state’s commitment to protect and fulfil the rights of every citizen, including persons with disabilities, must be consistently realised with the support of all parties. Lestari emphasised the importance of disaster preparedness as a manifestation of the Four Pillars of National Unity and social solidarity. She also highlighted the strategic role of the Lembaga Kursus dan Pelatihan (LKP) in improving human resources. Lestari Moerdijat noted that the values of RA Kartini’s struggle remain relevant today. The phenomenon of suicidal intent among adolescents is not triggered by a single cause but results from a complex accumulation of factors. Cases of mental health disorders among children and adolescents in West Java are rising; RSJ Cisarua reported up to 30 patient visits per day, with depression the dominant diagnosis. Excessive exposure to negative news may impact mental health, with psychologists explaining the risk of vicarious trauma and ways to prevent it. Safe and high-quality health services are essential in the archipelago provinces. Excessive praise of children can be a potential trigger for narcissistic personality disorder in later life.