This Day, That Year

Editor’s Note: This year marks the 40th anniversary of China’s reform and opening-up policy.

Mental health awareness has been increasing in China during the past few years due to improved living standards. In May 2012, China’s long-awaited national legislation on mental health was implemented.

The Mental Health Law helps improve patient access to timely and appropriate treatment, a field in which the country still lags behind most developed countries.

Under the law, general hospitals are required to set up mental health departments and to help train medical workers in the field.

Mental health education has been gradually expanded to schools and educational institutions nationwide.

The item on May 26, 2014, from China Daily (right) showed freshmen at East China Jiaotong University being trained in Nanchang, Jiangxi province, as part of a psychological support program for students.

Mental health education and awareness will be popularized and promoted across the country by 2020, according to the first government guideline aimed at promoting psychological wellbeing released last year.

It said all educational institutions, from kindergartens to universities, should pay attention to the mental health of students and provide psychological support.

Health experts said a major problem hindering the development of mental health services in China is lack of expertise.

The total number of certified psychiatrists in the country was about 27,000 by the end of 2015, official data showed, but at least 40,000 are needed to meet demand.