On 30th and 31st of January, DPA attended the Singapore Mental Health Conference that was held at the Singapore Expo. Attended by hundreds of representatives from the mental health and disability sector in Singapore, the conference discussed various aspects of mental health; from recovery, to building more inclusive communities, and from understanding the regional policies surrounding mental health in ASEAN, to advances in mental health. The guest of honour, President Halimah Yacob opened the conference and highlighted the importance of organisations and even the civil service in recognising the importance of mental health.
DPA took part in a number of discussions that looked into (1) Supporting persons with mental health at a community level, (2) Building wellness of seniors, and (3) The power of collaboration. It was definitely an enlightening experience, especially when understanding how the misunderstandings behind mental health, or psychosocial disabilities, can affect the inclusion of people with disabilities in our society.
