The Government today announced that it is extending the Three-Tier School-based Emergency Mechanism until December 31 and will launch measures to assist schools with identifying students with a higher risk of suicide at an early stage.

This move to extend the mechanism’s implementation period came after it reviewed the circumstances and listened to the views of the sector, the Government explained.

Additionally, to enhance school personnel’s knowledge of and skills in supporting students with mental health needs, the Education Bureau will organise more than 40 training courses and workshops for schools from end-January to March to introduce practical skills, counselling techniques and intervention strategies.

The bureau will also collaborate with the Social Welfare Department to arrange for non-governmental organisations to visit secondary schools and hold mental health activities from February to April.

The aim of carrying out such activities is to enhance students’ awareness of mental health, help them develop positive thinking, and strengthen their adaptability and awareness of help-seeking.

Under the current three-tier mechanism, schools give priority to take care of and counsel students with higher suicidal risk through the schools’ interdisciplinary team in the first tier by providing timely assistance or seeking professional counselling or treatment services for them.

If schools have difficulty in deploying manpower, the bureau will refer the cases to the off-campus support network team organised by the department in the second tier.

The third tier, which is the last line of defence, provides medical services to students with severe mental health needs.