Psychologists to bolster mental health services in Indonesian primary care centers

Indonesia is poised to enhance mental health services within its primary healthcare system, known as Puskesmas, by better utilizing the skills of its psychologists. A recent national seminar, themed "Higher Education Psychology for an Advanced and Healthy Indonesia," brought together key stakeholders to address this goal.

Organized by the Faculty of Psychology at Universitas Indonesia, in collaboration with the Association of Indonesian Psychology Higher Education Organizers (AP2TPI) and the Indonesian Psychological Association (HIMPSI), the event featured remarks from the Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Technology, Prof. Brian Yuliarto. The seminar focused on optimizing the competencies of psychology graduates from professional education programs to meet the growing national demand for mental health professionals in primary care settings.

AP2TPI Chairman Rahmat Hidayat PhD explained that the professional psychology education program has undergone significant reforms since the enactment of Law No. 23 of 2022 on Psychology Education and Services. This revised program now functions as a distinct educational pathway, producing graduates with the title of psychologist. A mandatory component includes supervised practice across four different service settings: health, education, workplace, and community. This comprehensive training ensures graduates are equipped to handle the diverse needs encountered in primary care.

Data from practical training at 19 universities offering the psychologist professional program indicates that graduates are already performing essential functions within healthcare settings. These functions encompass mental health promotion, prevention, early detection and assessment, clinical intervention, and cross-professional collaboration. These are precisely the competencies needed to strengthen mental health support at the Puskesmas level. Prof. Harry Minas, a global mental health expert from Australia, advised that the identification of necessary psychological personnel should stem from a thorough analysis of needs and task scopes within primary care, followed by the definition of appropriate competencies and qualifications. He noted that psychologists and clinical psychologists offer complementary roles, akin to general practitioners and specialists, with psychologists handling the bulk of primary care functions and clinical psychologists managing complex cases and providing supervision.