You can pay nothing to be counselled at Social Service Agencies

Private counselling is expensive, costing anywhere from $150 to $250 per hour. If you multiply this by 26 sessions per year, it adds up to at least $3,300. At this price point, lower income individuals face barriers to access counselling services. Moreover, the high price may even cause those who are unable to afford to push back seeking treatment. This causess the lower income individuals to be stuck in the perpetual cycle of delaying treatment indefinitely until they reach a breaking point.

Social service agencies (SSAs) provide a crucial safety net of mental health services for individuals who might otherwise fall through the cracks. SSAs offer a range of services, including counselling, for free or at a pay-what-you-wish scheme. This has benefitted people like Annabelle who sought treatment with Singapore Association for Mental Health (SAMH) without the worry and stress of having to pay.

Seeing how people need not pay, the effectiveness of the services might be a question raised. SSAs provide proper treatment by professionals and are supported by funding from a range of sources, including Community Chest (the fund-raising and engagement arm of NCSS), religious organisations, and private donations. Additionally, SSAs also tailor their practices to the community they serve, which helps the client feel at ease with them.

To find out more, read here