Home Affairs Minister: Mental health of children and adolescents requires local government attention
Jakarta (ANTARA) – Minister of Home Affairs Muhammad Tito Karnavian stressed the importance of making the mental health of children and adolescents one of the main concerns of local governments. He emphasised that regional leaders need to provide support for the issue, including allocating budgets in the Anggaran Pendapatan dan Belanja Daerah (APBD).
This was stated by the Mendagri at the Coordinating Meeting (Rakor) at ministerial level for the Synchronisation of Coordination and Control (SKP) on Prevention and Handling of Mental Health Problems in Children and Adolescents, held at the Office of the Coordinating Ministry for Human Development and Culture (Kemenko PMK) in Jakarta.
He acknowledged that the fiscal capacity of each region varies greatly. According to him, for regions with fiscal constraints, intervention from the central government is needed so that the programme can continue.
In addition, the Mendagri emphasised the need to provide understanding to local leaders about the importance of the issue so that the support provided can be optimal. Therefore, he proposed a special virtual meeting with local leaders to discuss the issue. “We will invite them, so that they are required to attend,” he said.
The Ministry of Home Affairs (Kemendagri) will ensure that the issue is included in the APBD. He also announced that a circular would be issued regarding the role of local governments in responding to the mental health of children and adolescents. The explanation of the role would involve the ministries and related agencies.
“For example, the Ministry of Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection (PPPA), or the Ministry of Health, or the Coordinating Ministers. What should they do? Because all programmes must be rigid about what they should do,” Mendagri said.
On the other hand, he proposed implementing a rewards and incentives mechanism for regions that successfully run the mental health programme for children and adolescents in an optimal manner. He said such a move could motivate local governments to take the issue more seriously.
Present at the event were Coordinating Minister for PMK Pratikno, Minister of Religion Nasaruddin Umar, Minister of Basic and Secondary Education Abdul Mu’ti, Minister of Health Budi Gunadi Sadikin, Minister of Social Affairs Saifullah Yusuf, Minister of Communications and Digital Meutya Hafid, Minister of Population and Family Development Wihaji, Minister of Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection Arifah Fauzi, and the Police Inspector General Wahyu Widada (Irwasum Polri).
At the end of the gathering, nine ministers signed a Joint Decree (Surat Keputusan Bersama, SKB) on the Mental Health of Children and Adolescents.