Ningxia achieves full coverage of prefecture-level city mental health welfare institutions
On October 18, Ningxia’s Department of Civil Affairs announced significant advancements in the province’s mental health welfare services. The region has successfully established a comprehensive mental health service model that includes provincial-level guidance, city-wide institutional coverage, and ongoing county-level implementation, all contributing to the scientific, standardized, and regulated development of mental health welfare services.
People with mental disorders represent a uniquely vulnerable group within society and require heightened care and attention. In recent years, the Ningxia Department of Civil Affairs has intensified its efforts in managing and constructing mental health welfare institutions while increasing investment in these facilities. It was reported that the central and regional governments have collectively allocated 277 million yuan towards the establishment of a comprehensive rehabilitation building at Ningxia Social Welfare Institute and mental health welfare institutions in five cities, including Shizuishan and Zhongwei. This initiative has added 1,710 new beds, achieving the goal of full institutional coverage at the city level ahead of schedule as outlined in the 14th Five-Year Plan for civil affairs development.
Moreover, Ningxia has leveraged its provincial mental health welfare institutions to implement the “Minkang Program,” focusing on the centralized treatment of severe mental health patients, with 297 individuals treated to date. The provincial social welfare institute has transformed from providing basic care for mental disorders to adopting a comprehensive “specialized but integrated” model that includes mental health screening, educational outreach, sleep medicine, rapid treatment, and community rehabilitation. This evolution has been further supported by strategic partnerships with several leading mental health institutions across the country, creating a talent “reservoir.” The establishment of specialized teams, including a distinguished physician’s studio and a rapid treatment center for children and adolescents, has allowed the exploration of cutting-edge treatment techniques, lightening the burden on families. Additionally, the formation of the “Wings of the Heart” volunteer service team has realized benefits for over ten thousand individuals per year. The implementation of more than 30 non-pharmacological rehabilitative therapies, with a focus on original art therapy techniques, has provided treatment to over 80,000 people.
Furthermore, with the goal of reintegrating individuals with mental disorders into society, Ningxia has initiated community rehabilitation projects through urban and rural community service stations and health service centers. Over the past few years, a total of 7.95 million yuan has been invested in the “Integration of Mental Health Action,” implemented across 15 counties, achieving over 68% coverage. This approach has effectively improved the self-care abilities, social adaptability, and employability of individuals suffering from mental disorders.