Mental Health Professionals Visit Schools to Support Students in Crisis

One-to-One Matching of Hub Hospitals with Each Seoul Education Support Office

Support for Students in Crisis Continues Through School Vacations

Up to 3 Million Won in Treatment Costs Per Student

Mental health professionals will visit schools directly to provide support for students in crisis. Students identified as being at risk due to emotional or behavioral problems, or those at risk of suicide or self-harm, will receive counseling and other services at school, and will also have access to specialized treatment through regional hub hospitals.

On July 6, the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education announced the implementation of the "2026 School Mental Health Specialist Support Project" with these details.

The project will divide Seoul into 11 districts, each corresponding to an education support office, and designate and operate hub centers (hub hospitals) for each region. The designated hub hospitals include Seoul Medical Center, Eunpyeong St. Mary's Hospital, Korea University Guro Hospital, Nowon Eulji Medical Center, Soonchunhyang University Seoul Hospital, Asan Medical Center, Ewha Womans University Seoul Hospital, Gangnam Severance Hospital, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, Seoul National University Hospital, and the National Center for Mental Health. This year, four university hospitals have been newly designated to strengthen regional support.

The program targets students at high risk of suicide or self-harm, or those experiencing significant emotional or behavioral difficulties. Each education support office will support 60 students per year. The program will operate from July 2026 to December 2027 and will not be suspended during grade transitions or school vacations. The process has been significantly streamlined, providing support from application to professional case management and assistance with treatment costs. If a student is referred to a medical institution, up to 3 million won per student will be provided for treatment expenses.

A representative from the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education stated, "Through a collaborative system between schools and medical institutions, this will function as a safety net to identify students in crisis early and provide timely support."

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