"Members of the community, especially parents, have a strategic role in the campaign regarding mental health," the ministry's Deputy for the Coordination of Health Quality Improvement and Population Development Agus Suprapto said when contacted on Monday.
He noted that families, as the smallest unit of society, can apply loving parenting styles and a dialogical approach to parenting to take care of the mental health of all family members.
"Family has an important role in shaping one's mental health, and (parents should) apply loving parenting, and parents need to become an example, for instance, by not showing violence at home, not bullying, and so on," he emphasized.
He added that families also have a role in supporting the handling of problems related to mental health.
"For instance, if there are family members who behave abnormally, it is better to bring them to consult with professionals or to the nearest health facilities," he explained.
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Suprapto remarked that the ministry continually supports the strengthening of education and campaign regarding the importance of taking care of mental health.
"We also coordinate with related ministries, institutions, and regional governments regarding the strengthening of education on mental health," he remarked.
He noted that the government continues to push for the strengthening of mental health service optimization in accordance with Law Number 18 of 2014 concerning Mental Health.
Law Number 18 of 2014 on Mental Health stipulates that the state guarantees everyone to live in physical and spiritual prosperity and to obtain health services that are the mandate of the 1945 Constitution.
In connection with this, the government continues to improve facilities and infrastructure as well as the construction of mental health service facilities throughout the country, he remarked.
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Translator: Wuryanti Puspitasari, Raka Adji
Editor: Suharto
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