CUHK steps up efforts to help students following another suicide

TheChineseUniversity of Hong Kongvice-chancellorandpresidentProfessorJosephSungJao-yiu.

(SCMP)TheChineseUniversityistostepupitscounsellingserviceunderemergencymeasuresworkedoutaftertheinstitutionlostanotherofitsstudentstosuicideovertheweekend.

Apsychiatristwillbehiredtovisitthecampusonceaweektoseestudentswithneeds,andthreemorecounsellorsarebeingrecruitedforthestudentaffairsofficetoexpandtheteamtherefromeightto11.

TheuniversitywillalsosetupamidnightcounsellinghotlineincooperationwiththeFederationofYouthGroups.

ThemeasureswereapprovedatacrisismanagementmeetingonMondaychairedbyuniversityvice-chancellorandpresidentProfessorJosephSungJao-yiu.

Atthemeeting,universitymanagementalsoappointedanadhocpanelincludingexpertsandstudentswhohadsoughtcounsellingassistancetoexaminementalhealthproblemsamongstudentsandfindwaystoimproveservicesofferedbytheuniversity.

Whilethereiscurrentlynoresidentpsychiatristattheuniversity,auniversityspokesmansaidsame-dayreferralofcasestoexpertswasavailable.

“Tostrengthentheservice,wehavehiredapsychiatristtocometothecampusonceaweektoofferaservicetostudentswhenneeded,”saidthespokesman.

InascreeningexerciselastSeptemberandOctober,860studentswithmentalissueswerespottedandfollowedupbythecounsellingteam.Inthe2014-15academicyear,thecounsellingteamalsoorganised60workshops,coursesandactivitiesforover7,000studentsandteachingstaff.

Theuniversitycounsellingserviceisavailableon39437208orthroughscds@cuhk.edu.hk.

Auniversitymedicalstudent,20,jumpedtoherdeathinFanlinglastSaturday.Shewassaidtobeunderstressbecauseofexaminations.Shewasreportedlytheseventhstudentfromtheuniversitytocommitsuicideinthepastyearandthefifthsincethestartofthisacademicyear.

“Beingateacheranddeanofstudents,IcanonlysayIfeelsadnessbeyondwordstoseethelossofourstudents,”saidProfessorDennisNg,associatevice-presidentanddeanofstudents.Ngsaidinalettertostudents,colleaguesandalumnithatheandhiscolleagueswouldsparenoefforttopreventfurthertragedieshappening.

Meanwhile,a12-year-oldschoolboyfelltohisdeathinanapparentsuicideinTinShuiWaionTuesday.Hewassaidtobeunhappybecauseofacademicproblems.

TheProfessionalTeachers’Unioncalledonthegovernmenttotakepromptactiontoaddresstheissue.SecretaryforEducationEddieNgHak-kimsaidhewouldconveneanemergencymeetingwithexpertssoon.

TheSamaritansoffera24-hourmultilingualsuicidepreventionserviceon28960000.SuicidePreventionServicesoperatea24-hourhotlineon23820000