National Gongju Hospital to run youth mental health quiz program at schools

The National Gongju Hospital will run a mental health quiz program at middle schools in South Chungcheong and North Chungcheong provinces three times from Oct. 13, as part of events marking this year's Mental Health Day.

The program, called "Ring the Mental Health Golden Bell," will have students answer questions using electronic response devices on stress management, understanding and expressing emotions, and respect for life. Organizers said the exercise also gives students a chance to look at their own state of mind and to learn that they should seek help from those around them and from professional institutions rather than worry alone.

The hospital is running the program with the Gongju Mental Health Welfare Center, the South Chungcheong Provincial Office of Education's Gongju district office, the Eumseong County Mental Health Welfare Center and the Okcheon County Mental Health Welfare Center.

The program opens Oct. 13 at Yugu Middle School and Bonghwang Middle School in Gongju, South Chungcheong Province. It continues Oct. 14 at Eumseong Girls' Middle School and on Nov. 6 at Okcheon Girls' Middle School, both in North Chungcheong Province.

Choi Jong-hyuk, the hospital's director, said the program was prepared to give students a chance to understand mental health more comfortably and to examine their own minds ahead of Mental Health Day. "I hope students enjoy taking part in the quiz and naturally learn the importance of mental health and the meaning of respecting life," he said. He added that the hospital will strengthen cooperation with schools and mental health welfare centers to promote youth mental health and build a community mental health safety net.

Mental Health Day falls on Oct. 10. The health ministry is marking it this year with a mental health publicity week, during which central and local government bodies and private organizations are running programs including a creative writing contest and the Golden Bell quiz.