TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Ministry of Health and Welfare has allocated NT$410 million (US$13 million) to provide three free counseling sessions each year to people aged 15–45.

Deputy Minister Chuang Jen-hsiang (莊人祥) said at a Sunday press conference marking World Suicide Prevention Day that suicide was Taiwan’s 10th leading cause of death last year — returning to the top 10 for the first time in 14 years — and he hopes the initiative will bolster public mental health, per CNA.

The program includes online counseling options to make services more accessible for residents in remote areas.

Cheng Shu-hsin (鄭淑心) of the ministry’s Department of Mental Health said more than 200 medical institutions nationwide provide remote counseling, and all participating facilities have been vetted to protect client privacy. She said the ministry plans to bring more providers into the program.

Chuang added that 388 public health centers across Taiwan offer psychological counseling. The ministry also works with social welfare groups to operate the 1925 hotline — a free, year-round mental health service that handles nearly 30,000 calls annually.

From 2018 to 2023, the number of psychological counseling institutions in Taiwan rose from 93 to 236, with the highest concentrations in Greater Taipei and Taichung. Over the same period, the number of licensed counseling psychologists increased from 499 to 1,220.

Wang Yi-sheng (王奕升), a counseling psychologist at Taipei City Hospital, said the growth of online counseling has spawned a range of informal services, some incorporating elements of fortune-telling. He said in-person counseling generally carries lower risk and urged the government to set clear rules to oversee the sector.