The knife attack on the Bannan Line train at the beginning of this month was a grim reminder that safety on public transportation encompasses more than infrastructure and security management — it also involves mitigating the potential risks posed by passengers experiencing mental health issues.
Several countries have already promoted effective policies surrounding mental health support and social services to aid in addressing mental health issues that could potentially impact public safety. These methods could not only provide valuable lessons for public transportation management in Taiwan, but also allow us to re-evaluate and focus on the mental health needs of the public.
First, we could learn from Australia’s experience in providing expert mental health support services in the public transportation spaces. In many major train stations in large cities, Australia has deployed mental health support personnel who monitor the emotional state of passengers, provide counseling, de-escalate situations or contact professional medical services when necessary. Those measures help prevent psychological distress from giving rise to behaviors such as violence or harassment, thereby reducing passengers’ safety concerns when taking public transportation. These professional mental health personnel undergo rigorous training in psychology and social work, developing acute senses and sound judgment to quickly identify potential dangers and calmly intervene.
If Taiwan could adopt this model by establishing mental health service points at major stations and dispatching well-trained mental health professionals, we could effectively decrease the frequency of these sudden incidents and provide passengers with a safer transportation environment.
The mental health support measures implemented by Canada’s public transportation systems could also serve as a valuable reference. In major cities such as Vancouver and Toronto, mental health support stations and hotlines have been installed at subway stations and other parts of the public transportation network. When passengers experience anxiety, panic or other psychological stress, personnel can promptly respond and provide immediate psychological support.
Those measures illustrate Canada’s commitment to mental health support, transforming measures that safeguard public transportation safety from reactive to pre-emptive. Canada’s example demonstrates the importance of rapid response and accessibility in mental health support services.
When promoting similar measures, Taiwan should consider adding mental health hotlines or emergency contact numbers in MRT stations so passengers experiencing psychological distress could receive care when they need it most. Taiwan could also learn from the practice of displaying mental health information in stations to raise the public’s awareness of the increasing commonality of mental health issues and mitigate psychological barriers to seeking help.
Another effective approach has been implemented with regard to mental health support intervention in Japan’s public transportation system. The designs of the subway systems in Tokyo and Osaka place great emphasis on passengers’ psychological well-being, integrating mental health support into the stations’ environmental designs.
For example, some stations have added relaxation areas that play soft, relaxing background music. Personnel wearing easily identifiable uniforms patrol the station — these personnel have undergone expert training to promptly handle passengers’ anxiety and feelings of unease.
Japan’s focus on promoting a psychologically healthy atmosphere led it to create station spaces conducive to stress reduction, allowing passengers to subconsciously feel relaxed and at ease. These designs not only reduce the likelihood of conflicts caused by passenger anxiety or stress, but also cultivate a more harmonious public space.
If Taiwan’s MRT system could make improvements based on those concepts — such as building relaxation areas within stations that include soft background music or employing emotional management personnel — it could not only reduce the likelihood of incidents, but also elevate passenger experience as a whole.
Aside from improving facilities, Taiwan must promote policies to allocate more resources for mental health support services. The current safety measures in Taiwan’s public transportation system mainly rely on the police force, but they mainly maintain public order. Many police officers likely lack the expertise necessary to handle mental health emergencies. If mental health counselors could be dispatched to MRT and train stations to assist police efforts in maintaining public safety, the public transportation system would be safer overall and the mental health needs of passengers would be properly met.
Furthermore, the government should promote the dissemination of mental health information within the public transportation system to raise public awareness of mental health issues and decrease related social stigma. When the public understands the commonality of mental health issues, it would be easier for people to seek help when they are struggling. This would promote a more harmonious and inclusive public transportation environment.
The role of mental health support in public safety reflects the political ideology of putting the people first. When developing public transportation safety measures, Taiwan should prioritize prevention rather than reacting to incidents after they occur.
Introducing mental health support services would allow passengers to obtain psychological counseling when they need it, decreasing the likelihood of incidents from loss of emotional control. This would bring about a clear positive change in public safety. Simultaneously, with mental health support more widely available in public spaces, societal perception of mental health issues would gradually change, thereby fostering the growth of a mental health culture.
It could be seen from the experiences of Australia, Canada and Japan that appropriate mental health intervention not only makes public transportation systems safer, but also increases citizens’ quality of life. If Taiwan could learn from these experiences and modify policies according to the nation’s needs, the public transportation system could become a safe space for the public — a true mental oasis.
Roger Chen is a master’s student at National Taiwan University College of Medicine’s Department of Medical Education and Bioethics.
Translated by Kyra Gustavsen
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