Yangju City Operates Mental Health Counseling Voucher Program...Up to 640,000 Won in Support

The Yangju City Public Health Center in Gyeonggi Province is running the “Mental Health Psychological Counseling Voucher Program” year-round to support the cost of psychological counseling, aiming to promote residents’ mental well-being and prevent mental illnesses.

Yangju City operates mental health psychological counseling vouchers. Photo by Yangju City

This program is designed to provide professional psychological counseling services to citizens experiencing emotional difficulties such as depression and anxiety, with the goal of early detection and prevention of mental health issues.

Those eligible for support include: ▲ individuals recognized by public institutions such as the Mental Health Welfare Center or Wee Center as needing psychological counseling; ▲ individuals recognized by psychiatric medical institutions as needing counseling for symptoms of depression or anxiety; ▲ those identified as having moderate or higher levels of depression (score of 10 or above) in a mental health screening during a national health checkup; ▲ young adults preparing for independence and children under extended care; ▲ disaster victims (including bereaved families); and ▲ registered members of suicide prevention centers at the Mental Health Welfare Center.

Those excluded from support include: individuals who require psychiatric treatment as a priority due to drug or alcohol addiction, severe mental illness, or serious psychological issues (such as an acute suicide crisis); individuals already receiving assistance from the Community Social Services Investment Program; and young children for whom communication is difficult.

Applicants wishing to use the service can visit their local township or neighborhood administrative welfare center with identification and supporting documents, or apply online via “Bokjiro.”

Selected recipients may use a total of eight psychological counseling sessions, with each session providing at least 50 minutes of professional counseling. The amount of support varies according to income level, with a maximum subsidy of 640,000 won per person. Service costs differ according to the counselor’s qualifications: 80,000 won per session for Level 1 counselors, and 70,000 won per session for Level 2 counselors.

Currently, a total of nine psychological counseling service providers are operating in Yangju City. Citizens can freely choose a provider after checking the list on the electronic voucher website, regardless of their registered address.

Kim Yeonbun, Head of Health Administration, stated, “We expect that providing professional psychological counseling will help systematically manage citizens’ mental health and play a significant role in preventing mental illnesses in advance. We will continue to strengthen the community care system for mental well-being in the future.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.