Lieutenant General Chen, Yu-Lin, Director General of the Political Warfare Bureau at the Ministry of National Defense (MND), met today with personnel who obtained their Social Worker Licenses in the first half of 2025. She praised their efforts and achievements in advancing professional skills and enhancing the psychological counseling capabilities within the R.O.C. Armed Forces, encouraged them to continue pursuing lifelong learning to further strengthen the mental health support capacity in military.
In the morning, Director General Chen presented awards to recognize four service members who obtained their Social Worker Licenses in the first half of this year: Lieutenant Colonel Wu, Chia-Rung, Major Ku, Hsin-Chi, Captain Liu, Po-Tao, and Captain Lu, Kuan-Hung. She commended their dedication and hard work throughout the certification process, noting their profession and a strong passion for psychological counseling work.
Director General Chen stated that, to effectively address the psychological counseling needs of military personnel, the MND launched the “Military Mental Health Care Program” in recent years. This initiative adopts the method of “self-booking without referral”, allowing service members to directly seek assistance from civilian mental health counseling providers without going through their unit or the military’s Mental Health Center for assessment or coordination. Under this program, everyone is entitled to six free counseling sessions per year. Since its launch in mid-February this year, over 1,200 service members have utilized the service, demonstrating its tangible benefits for the well-being of military personnel.
Director General Chen encouraged the newly certified individuals to maintain their enthusiasm for learning after obtaining licenses. She urged them to continue gaining social experience and refining the psychological support capabilities of the R.O.C. Armed Forces. When taking on frontline roles in counseling work, they should provide timely feedback and sharing insights that could benefit the well-being of primary level personnel, which is vital for helping relevant departments develop effective, supportive policies and truly implement comprehensive care for service members.
In addition, to encourage psychological counselors within the R.O.C. Armed Forces to enhance their professional knowledge and capabilities, the Fu Hsing Kang College, National Defense University, in collaboration with the Political Warfare Education and Training Center of the MND, has been jointly organizing the “Counseling Psychologist and Social Worker License Training Program” since 2018. This program aims to support military counseling personnel in obtaining certifications as licensed counseling psychologists and social workers—and has achieved remarkable results.