By Huang Huifen

Two years ago, Ms Stefanie Cheang was prone to sudden outbursts of anger, and she refused to go to school.

Her concerned parents took her to see a psychiatrist, who diagnosed her as suffering from schizophrenia.

Yesterday, the 21-year-old shared the story of her road to recovery before a crowd of 120 people. She is now doing well at the Mountbatten Vocational School and plans to become a nurse.

The occasion was the launch of YouthReach, a rehabilitative programme by the Singapore Association for Mental Health (SAMH), held at the SAMH YouthReach centre in Jurong East.

Ms Cheang is a testament to how YouthReach is helping youth suffering from mental and emotional disorders to manage their illness.

They are taught, for example, to recognise symptoms of a relapse and how to communicate better with others.

Since the start of a pilot programme in 2006, YouthReach has worked with 81 young people, achieving a success rate of 88 per cent in reducing their hospital stays.

YouthReach began as an after-care support in response to an increasing number of youth seeking mental-health treatment.

In 2007, the Institute of Mental Health handled 3,338 new outpatient cases, reported Dr Daniel Fung, its chief of child and adolescent psychiatry.

This was a result of more community awareness and less stigmatisation of people with mental illness.

'Families are more comfortable with talking about mental-health issues, and it is no longer a shame to seek help,' said Ms Peshali Fernando, the deputy director of SAMH.

Medical treatment alone, however, is insufficient.

'Youth need more than hospital care. They need the support of the community to help them get back on track,' said Dr Fung.

This article was first published in The Straits Times on Jan 11, 2009.