Resilience Blooms: Central Java's Adolescents on the Path to Mental Health

In Rembang, Central Java, peaceful mornings are greeted with sunrise that illuminates rows of rice fields. Amid this serenity, there are silent struggles. There are children who are grappling with mental health issues.

Tata, 17, faced inner turmoil when she was bullied in her junior high years. “I was diagnosed with depression. I could faint up to three times a week. At that time, it hit my nerves."

In her early senior high school years, a student vandalized her motorcycle. Though heartbroken, Tata never thought of vengeance or violence as an option, but she continued to live with the pain.

Tata learned about mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) from passionate teachers who had undergone specialized training and helped her when her school integrated a School Health Programme (UKS) with a mission: "Remaja Sehat Jiwa Ceria" (healthy and happy adolescents), supported by the Ministry of Health and UNICEF.  Tata, who felt isolated and lonely because of the bullying she experienced, felt so supported she felt confident enough to open up and receive the psychosocial help she needed.

When the MHPSS programme was launched in her school, Feby received mental health screening and health education. She also participated in a survey to share her views. “Through this survey, I believe the school can know that every student may have his or her own problems and may need someone to talk to,” she says.

With support from health workers, school counsellors and teachers, Feby found solace and a renewed sense of purpose.

A More Resilient Future

Mental health among adolescents is a growing concern in Indonesia. The 2022 National Adolescent Mental Health Survey found that more than 1 out of 5 adolescents has anxiety issues. Left untreated, this can lead to self-harm. The same study found that 4.4 percent of adolescents tried to hurt themselves, while 1.2 percent thought about ending their lives.

UNICEF has been supporting the Ministry of Health to tackle mental health issues in adolescence. The school-based MHPSS programme – which is being implemented in 22 schools across Indonesia – aims to ensure early detection of challenges through routine screenings. These screenings indicate any existing or potential mental health issues among students, which helps to determine the right treatment according to each student's needs.

In Rembang, this has had a positive impact. “The screening programme helps us detect and identify students who may need special care. School counsellors can then give the required assistance and accompany the students accordingly,” says Endang, Headmaster of SMAN 1 Rembang, where Tata goes to school.

The MHPSS programme has been extended to five provinces (Aceh, NTT, Central Java, East Java, South Sulawesi) with a focus on adolescent mental health care. One of the key activities is suicide prevention intervention and mental health education in schools. The programme also provides mental health training for educators and health workers to improve understanding of the importance of mental health in the school setting.

“With the ongoing MHPSS programme, I hope that everyone, from health officials to school counsellors to parents, will be able to collaborate to find the solution for any mental health issue that affects a student. I hope this programme will continue, so children will not be afraid to speak up about their mental health,” says Rehulina, Head of Disease Prevention and Control for the Rembang Regency.