The city government will hire professionals who can help with psychosocial interventions amid recent mental health issues that led to suicides here.

In a statement Monday, City Information Officer Ivy Guantero said these professionals would help manage the city’s psychosocial division, which recently launched a helpline to reach out to constituents having mental health issues.

“You may call 911 as an alternate number for the Mental (Health) Helpline,” she said.

Recent media reports showed most affected by mental health episodes were the youth, some of whom committed suicide by jumping off a bridge in the city.

“We had an emergency meeting last Saturday morning (May 6), and part of the discussion is planning to put barangay enforcers and police in the bridge, and other barangays that have bridges (within their jurisdiction),” Guantero said.

Meanwhile, several religious and civil organizations have offered to help the city government with the recent incident of mental health issues concerning the youth.

On Sunday evening, several groups held a prayer rally on a bridge that has seen several suicide cases.

Last month, the Rotaract Club of Carmen Valley, in partnership with the city government, also conducted a series of psychoeducational lectures and workshops on mental health in six of the city’s 80 barangays.

The workshops engaged the youths in topics related to suicide prevention and substance abuse education.

With the guidance of mental health experts, the youth participants were taught about expressing their emotions and feelings openly, developing a help-seeking behavior, and other interactive discussions centered on mental health. (PNA)