A volunteer service group for family education in Donghe district. [Photo/Baotou news network]

In Donghe district, specialized spaces for school-based mental health education are rapidly emerging, supported by collaborations between schools, families, hospitals, and the wider community. Together, they are creating a safety net for students' well-being.

Since 2024, Donghe district's education bureau has partnered with universities and hospitals to appoint 13 mental health experts as part-time vice principals in local schools. This initiative integrates prevention, counseling, and crisis intervention into a comprehensive framework of "expert guidance, curriculum implementation, psychological checkups, medical-education collaboration, and family-school-community synergy."

In May 2024, the bureau and the local women's federation launched a volunteer service group for family education. Volunteers visit schools every Friday, offering one-on-one consultations for parents. So far, they have reached 15 schools and supported 276 families, easing tensions and improving parent-child communication.

To expand access, the district has also built a digital health education platform for teachers and students, equipped with standardized testing tools, AI-powered assessments, and cloud-based data analysis. To date, 20,190 students across 35 schools have undergone psychological evaluations, producing comprehensive mental health reports that guide tailored interventions.

Step by step, Donghe district is making student mental health support more professional, accessible, and effective.