Page 58 - 2024 Taiwan Health and Welfare Report

2024 Taiwan Health and Welfare Report

health education courses, vocational training and cases of drug use. The MOHW also subsidized
employment matching), total 20,920 people. to set up 6 Substance Treatment and Research
4. Since September 2014, medical institutions have Centers, and 118 hospitals, clinics, offices of
been subsidized to provide alcohol and drug psychotherapy, psychological counselling and social
addiction services in correctional institutions and work offices were connected to develop diverse
number of subsidized medical institutions is being treatment models and intervention solutions that are
gradually expanded. In 2023, the MOHW funded empirically proven to be effective.
for 13 medical institutions at 15 correctional 8. The MOHW actively promotes online addiction
facilities. They provided addiction treatment clinics prevention services. The "Integrated Mental Health
752 times in 2023 that served 2,957 individuals Work Plan for 2023" fostered collaboration between
(people), health education for 16,749 individuals, county and city health bureaus and education
psychological therapy for 7,547 individuals, 825 departments to promote the "Internet Usage
individuals of release referrals and 3,991 follow-ups. Habit Scale." Furthermore, professional training
5. The MOHW has continued to implement the and intervention model development for Internet
"Alcohol Addiction Treatment Plan" from 2006 addiction treatment were continued, resulting in 453
and subsidies were provided to help 3,675 people individuals being trained and the organization of 2
in 2023. Moreover, since September 2015, the sessions of online addiction parent-child camps.
MOHW has been implementing the "Pilot Project These sessions served a total of 45 youth and 39
for the Establishment of a Treatment and Social parents, with an effectiveness rate of over 95% in
Rehabilitation Service Model for Problem Drinkers improving online addiction behaviors.
and Alcohol Addicts," to establish across-network
referral mechanism, to promote early treatment Chapter 3 Medical and Public Health
of alcohol addiction cases. The Ministry provided Manpower
subsidies to 15 institutions in 2023, helping 1,478
individuals. Section 1 Current Status of Medical
6. To enhance public awareness regarding alcohol Manpower
consumption and alcohol use disorder, and to 1. Taiwan has 15 laws and regulations governing
facilitate the early identification and treatment the licensing requirements of medical personnel:
of individuals with potential drinking problems, the "Physicians Act," the "Pharmacists Act," the
the "Taiwan Alcohol Abstinence and Addiction "Midwifery Personnel Act," the "Dietitians Act," the
Prevention Center" was established on November "Nursing Personnel Act," the "Physical Therapists
24, 2023. The center offers counseling for alcohol Act," the "Occupational Therapists Act," the
abstinence, family support, health education and "Medical Technologists Act," the "Medical Radiation
promotion, as well as referrals for alcohol use Technologists Act," the "Psychologists Act," the
disorder treatment. As of the end of 2023, the "Respiratory Therapists Act," the "Hearing Specialists
center had provided counseling services to 127 Act," the "Speech Therapists Act," the "Dental
individuals and referred 21 people for alcoholism Technicians Act," and the "Optometric Personnel Act."
treatment. 2. Former President Ing-Wen Tsai promulgated the
7. Starting from 2018 onward, the MOHW took Public Health Specialists Act on June 3, 2020.
over the duty of supervising all Drug Abuse Starting from 2021, Taiwan has increased the number
Prevention Centers in Taiwan from the Ministry of public health professionals through specialized
of Justice, and has increased subsidized case exams, aiming to establish a comprehensive public
management manpower and anti-drug business health service system and promote public health.
funds. In 2023, 698 case managers (including As of 2022, there are 261 certified public health
supervision) were subsidized to assist in relevant specialists.
case management to improve the quality of follow- 3. As of 2023, the total number of healthcare
up and counseling for communities involved in professionals in various categories was 359,954.

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