Life in modern Hong Kong, especially amid times of social upheaval, can be exhausting. From fake news and doxing to heated debates and unanswered hopes, the challenges we face these days can take a heavy toll on our minds and hearts.

In fact, studies after studies have shown that Hong Kong is having a mental health crisis. According to the 2019 Hong Kong Mental Health Index, Hongkongers only scored 46.4 on the World Health Organization’s Five Well-Being Index, far below the acceptable level (i.e. 52).

It is high time our society addresses its mental health issues squarely. Hence the theme, “Defusing the Mental Health Crisis”, of the 2019 winter issue of our journal Equality Perspectives, published on 20 December 2019. As Mr Ricky CHU Man-kin, EOC Chairperson said in the foreword, “While it may not be within the EOC’s remit to tackle every single cause of the crisis, we are fully committed to removing the stigma attached to both people affected by mental health problems and their carers, and working together to puncture myths around mental illness and facilitate the siting of mental health facilities.”

In the cover story, we examine the challenges confronting Integrated Community Centres for Mental Wellness (ICCMWs) in Hong Kong, which have often met with strong opposition from nearby residents and siting delays when securing a permanent spot. We talked to the Officer-in-Charge and volunteer of the ICCMW at Yat Tung Estate in Tung Chung, as well as the Chairperson of a Mutual Aid Committee about the hard work behind the successful siting of the centre, its various services, and how to improve Hong Kong’s mental health policy.

Support facilities aside, legal redress ought to be available, especially when prejudice manifests itself in acts inciting public hatred. We therefore end this issue with an article about the notion of “vilification” under the Disability Discrimination Ordinance, as a quick legal brush-up for our readers.

An e-book version of the journal is available on the EOC website. Click the link below to download it now!

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