SINGAPORE \u2013 For her work in raising the public\u2019s understanding of mental health through news features and podcasts<\/span><\/a>, The Straits Times\u2019 senior health correspondent Joyce Teo clinched the inaugural Silver Ribbon Mental Health Award that recognises media professionals.<\/p>\n The new Media Excellence in Mental Health Awareness Award reflects the growing influence of those in the media \u2013 such as journalists, broadcasters and content creators \u2013 in shaping public conversations and attitudes towards mental health, said non-profit organisation Silver Ribbon (Singapore).<\/p>\n As more people turn to traditional and digital media for information, the organisation said it is increasingly important for mental health information shared publicly to be accurate, credible, timely and responsible.<\/p>\n Teo \u2013 who has been with ST since 2004 \u2013 was among 57 individuals and organisations honoured on Oct 10 for advancing mental health awareness, reducing stigma and encouraging people to seek help early.<\/p>\n She said: \u201cI see this award as a validation of the stories themselves and the brave individuals who allowed me into their lives.<\/p>\n \u201cThe award reassures me that these stories matter, that readers are paying attention, and that as journalists, we have a vital role to play in fostering empathy and understanding in our society.\u201d<\/p>\n Teo has written extensively about mental health policies and helped with the coverage of a year-long mental health series<\/span><\/a> that started in 2024.<\/p>\n One of her most poignant stories was about high-functioning individuals living with mental health conditions.<\/p>\n \u201cThey suffer in silence every single day. They are among us, and talking about mental health validates their invisible experiences, encourages early help-seeking and builds authentic connections,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n The Straits Times\u2019 senior health correspondent Joyce Teo speaking at the award ceremony at the\u00a0Singapore Sustainability Academy at City Square Mall.\u00a0<\/p>\n PHOTO: SILVER RIBBON (SINGAPORE)<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n With the rising prevalence of poor mental health in Singapore, Teo is compelled to continue reporting on this issue to normalise seeking help.<\/p>\n \u201cAsking for help is seen as a sign of strength and self-care, rather than a last resort,\u201d added the host of ST\u2019s Health Check podcast<\/span><\/a>, who hopes to see policy changes that make it easier for people to seek help early.<\/p>\n \u201cWhile awareness has grown significantly after the pandemic, stigma, misconceptions and hurdles still remain.\u201d<\/p>\n The award ceremony was held at the Singapore Sustainability Academy at City Square Mall and attended by Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Finance and Manpower Shawn Huang.<\/p>\n Huang said: \u201cJoyce has used her position as a journalist to raise awareness and challenge stigma by reducing misinformation and promoting a more holistic understanding of mental health.<\/p>\n \u201cThis fosters greater assurance and builds a space where mental health can be discussed openly and without shame.\u201d<\/p>\n In July, Teo received the IHH Healthcare-Singapore Press Club Health<\/span><\/a> and Wellness Journalism Award.<\/p>\n Other Silver Ribbon award recipients included Janet Meagher, who received the Silver Ribbon-Ellen Lee Global Mental Health Award for her longstanding international advocacy in mental health, including championing recovery-oriented approaches and amplifying the voices of people with lived experiences.<\/p>\n Recipients also included organisations such as People\u2019s Association, National Gallery Singapore, the Singapore Police Force and ItsRainingRaincoats, a charity for migrant workers\u2019 welfare.<\/p>\n Nineteen schools were also recognised for their efforts in promoting mental health and well-being among students. They included the three ITE colleges, Singapore Polytechnic, Nanyang Technological University and Woodlands Secondary School.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n SINGAPORE \u2013 For her work in raising the public\u2019s understanding of mental health through news features and podcasts, The Straits Times\u2019 senior health correspondent Joyce…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":91928,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2611],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-91927","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-buzz-headlines","wpcat-2611-id"],"brizy_media":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/91927","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=91927"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/91927\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/91928"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=91927"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=91927"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=91927"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}<\/picture><\/div>
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