Supporting Students with Suicidal Risk
The Three-tier School-based Emergency Mechanism (The Mechanism)
Background
Through the inter-departmental collaboration among the Education Bureau (EDB), the Health Bureau (HHB), and the Social Welfare Department (SWD), the Three-tier School-based Emergency Mechanism (the Mechanism) has been implemented in all secondary schools since December 2023. Schools, parents and relevant stakeholders in the society are encouraged to work collectively by pooling together the schools’ multi-disciplinary teams, the off-campus support network and medical services to facilitate early identification of and support for students with higher suicidal risk.
After reviewing the implementation of the Mechanism and gauging the views of the sector, the Government announced in November 2024 the extension and enhancement of the Mechanism until the end of December 2025. It was further stated in “The Chief Executive’s 2025 Policy Address” that the Government would regularise the Mechanism in secondary schools and extend it on a trial basis to upper primary levels in the 2025/26 school year, aiming to help primary and secondary schools identify and strengthen support for students in need as early as possible.
Key Measures of the Three-tier Emergency Mechanism
The Mechanism will be implemented regularly in all secondary schools in Hong Kong with effect from 1 December 2025, and will be on trial in upper primary levels from 1 December 2025 to 31 August 2026. For details, please refer to Item 1.
Key measures of the Mechanism include:
(i) The first-tier mechanism
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Identify students with higher suicidal risk at an early stage, and to provide students concerned priority for timely support and help them seek professional counselling or treatment services as early as possible.
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School personnel should refer to "A Resource Handbook for Schools: Detecting, Supporting and Making Referral for Students with Suicidal Behaviours” to preliminarily identify more vulnerable students and pay attention to whether they have warning signs of suicide.
- Schools should discuss with the school’s inter-disciplinary team (including guidance masters/mistress, guidance personnel, school social workers and school-based educational psychologists) to flexibly deploy its manpower and resources to give priority to take care of and counsel students with higher suicidal risk.
(ii) The second-tier mechanism
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Schools requiring support from the “off-campus support network” coordinated by SWD can contact their respective regional “off-campus support network” team direct.
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After understanding the conditions of the students with suicidal risk, the “off-campus support network” team will provide emergency intervention services to the students concerned such as assessment, support and counselling, and will also match and refer them to other community support services as necessary so that they can receive appropriate out-of-school support.
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The “off-campus support network” teams will enhance communication with the school personnel regarding the referred cases and follow up on the condition of the student.
(iii) The third-tier mechanism
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Schools can refer students with high suicidal risk (as opposed to those only with severe mental health needs) to the Hospital Authority (HA) to receive psychiatric specialist outpatient services.
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Following triage assessment at the psychiatric specialist outpatient clinics, the HA will prioritise the follow-up of students with urgent conditions that necessitate prompt treatment.
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Clear guidelines will be provided to schools to clarify the criteria of cases that may be considered appropriate for referral to the psychiatric specialist outpatient services of the HA.
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For students who are waiting for the psychiatric services, they can be arranged by schools to receive the first-tier in-school support and services from the second-tier “off-campus support network”.
Related Information
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Item |
Content |
File |
|---|---|---|
|
1 |
Details of "The Three-tier School-based Emergency Mechanism" |
Download (PDF) |
|
2 |
Early Identification of and Support for Students with Suicidal Risk |
Download (PDF) |
|
3 |
Contact List of “Off-campus Support Network” Team |
Download (PDF) |
|
4 |
“Off-campus Support Network” Team Referral Form and Parent / Guardian Consent Form |
|
|
5 |
Reference Guide for Assessing and Managing Suicidal Risk |
Download (PDF) |
|
6 |
Referral of student to receive psychiatric services of the Hospital Authority - Designated School Principal Referral Form |
Briefing Session on the "Three-tier School-based Emergency Mechanism"
| Date | File |
|---|---|
| Nov 2025 | |
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Nov 2024 |
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