ST’s senior health correspondent wins first media excellence award for championing mental health《海峡时报》资深健康记者因倡导心理健康而荣获首个媒体卓越奖
Joyce Teo was among 57 individuals and organisations honoured for advancing mental health awareness and reducing stigma. Read more at straitstimes.com.
The Straits Times’ senior health correspondent Joyce Teo (centre) received the Media Excellence in Mental Health Awareness Award from Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Finance and Manpower Shawn Huang (left) and Fatimah Lateef (right), President of Silver Ribbon (Singapore).
PHOTO: SILVER RIBBON (SINGAPORE)
Published Oct 10, 2026, 02:00 PM
Updated Oct 10, 2026, 02:00 PM
Joyce Teo of The Straits Times won the first Silver Ribbon Media Excellence in Mental Health Awareness Award for her reporting, podcasts and features on mental health.
Silver Ribbon said accurate and responsible media coverage is vital as more people seek mental health information online and through traditional media.
Teo said the award validates brave personal stories, helps reduce stigma, and supports early help-seeking, while she hopes for policy changes that make support easier to access.
SINGAPORE - For her work in raising the public’s understanding of mental health through news features and podcasts , The Straits Times’ senior health correspondent Joyce Teo clinched the inaugural Silver Ribbon Mental Health Award that recognises media professionals.
The new Media Excellence in Mental Health Awareness Award reflects the growing influence of those in the media like journalists, broadcasters and content creators in shaping public conversations and attitudes towards mental health, said non-profit organisation Silver Ribbon (Singapore).
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.
Teo - who has been with ST since 2004 - was among 57 individuals and organisations honoured on Oct 10 for advancing mental health awareness, reducing stigma and encouraging people to seek help early.
She said: “I see this award as a validation of the stories themselves and the brave individuals who allowed me into their lives.
“The 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.”
Teo has written extensively about mental health policies and helped with the coverage of a year-long mental health series that started in 2024.
One of her most poignant stories was about high-functioning individuals living with mental health conditions.
“They 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,” she added.
The Straits Times’ senior health correspondent Joyce Teo speaking at the award ceremony at the Singapore Sustainability Academy at City Square Mall. PHOTO: SILVER RIBBON (SINGAPORE)
The Straits Times’ senior health correspondent Joyce Teo speaking at the award ceremony at the Singapore Sustainability Academy at City Square Mall.
With the rising prevalence of poor mental health in Singapore, Teo is compelled to continue reporting on this issue to normalise seeking help.
“Asking for help is seen as a sign of strength and self-care, rather than a last resort,” added the host of ST’s Health Check podcast , who hopes to see policy changes that make it easier for people to seek help early.
“While awareness has grown significantly after the pandemic, stigma, misconceptions and hurdles still remain.”
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.
Huang said: “Joyce 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.
“This fosters greater assurance and builds a space where mental health can be discussed openly and without shame.”
In July, Teo also received the IHH Healthcare-Singapore Press Club Health and Wellness Journalism Award.
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 .
Other recipients included organisations such as People’s Association, National Gallery Singapore, the Singapore Police Force and ItsRainingRaincoats, a charity for migrant workers’ welfare.
Nineteen schools were also recognised for their efforts in promoting mental health and well-being among students. They include the three ITE colleges, Singapore Polytechnic, Nanyang Technological University and Woodlands Secondary School.
《海峡时报》高级健康记者 Joyce Teo（中）从财政和人力部高级政务次长黄晓明（左）和银丝带（新加坡）主席 Fatimah Lateef（右）手中接过“心理健康意识媒体卓越奖”。
照片：银丝带（新加坡）
发布于2026年10月10日下午2:00
更新于2026年10月10日下午2:00
《海峡时报》的 Joyce Teo 凭借其关于心理健康的报道、播客和专题文章，荣获首届银丝带媒体心理健康意识卓越奖。
Silver Ribbon表示，随着越来越多的人通过网络和传统媒体寻求心理健康信息，准确、负责的媒体报道至关重要。
Teo表示，该奖项肯定了勇敢的个人故事，有助于减少歧视，并支持及早寻求帮助，同时她也希望政策能够有所改变，使人们更容易获得支持。
新加坡——《海峡时报》高级健康记者张爱玲凭借其通过新闻专题报道和播客提高公众对心理健康的认识的工作，荣获首届银丝带心理健康奖，该奖项旨在表彰媒体专业人士。
非营利组织银丝带（新加坡）表示，新的“心理健康意识媒体卓越奖”反映了媒体从业人员（如记者、广播员和内容创作者）在塑造公众对心理健康的对话和态度方面日益增长的影响力。
该组织表示，随着越来越多的人转向传统媒体和数字媒体获取信息，公开分享的心理健康信息越来越需要做到准确、可信、及时和负责。
自 2004 年起就在《海峡时报》工作的 Teo 是 10 月 10 日因促进心理健康意识、减少歧视和鼓励人们及早寻求帮助而受到表彰的 57 位个人和组织之一。
她说：“我认为这个奖项是对这些故事本身以及那些勇敢地让我走进他们生活的人们的肯定。”
“这个奖项让我确信这些故事很重要，读者们正在关注，而且作为记者，我们在培养社会中的同理心和理解方面发挥着至关重要的作用。”
Teo 曾就心理健康政策撰写过大量文章，并参与报道了从 2024 年开始的为期一年的心理健康系列报道。
她最令人动容的故事之一，是关于那些患有精神疾病但功能健全的人的故事。
“他们每天都在默默承受痛苦。他们就在我们身边，谈论心理健康可以肯定他们不为人知的经历，鼓励他们及早寻求帮助，并建立真诚的联系，”她补充道。
《海峡时报》资深健康记者张慧玲在新加坡城市广场购物中心的新加坡可持续发展学院颁奖典礼上发表讲话。图片：SILVER RIBBON（新加坡）
《海峡时报》高级健康记者 Joyce Teo 在新加坡城市广场购物中心的新加坡可持续发展学院颁奖典礼上发表讲话。
随着新加坡心理健康问题日益普遍，Teo 不得不继续报道这一问题，以使寻求帮助正常化。
“寻求帮助被视为坚强和自我关爱的表现，而不是最后的选择，”《海峡时报》健康检查播客的主持人补充道，他希望看到政策变化，使人们更容易及早寻求帮助。
“虽然疫情后人们的意识显著提高，但歧视、误解和障碍仍然存在。”
颁奖典礼在新加坡城市广场购物中心的新加坡可持续发展学院举行，财政及人力部高级政务次长黄晓明出席了典礼。
黄说：“乔伊斯利用她作为记者的身份，通过减少错误信息和促进对心理健康更全面的理解，来提高人们的意识并挑战污名化。
“这有助于增强人们的信心，并营造一个可以公开、无羞耻地讨论心理健康问题的空间。”
今年7月，张志贤还获得了IHH医疗保健-新加坡新闻俱乐部健康与保健新闻奖。
其他获得银丝带奖的人包括 Janet Meagher，她因长期在国际上倡导心理健康而获得银丝带-艾伦·李全球心理健康奖，包括倡导以康复为导向的方法和扩大有亲身经历的人的声音。
其他受赠机构包括人民协会、新加坡国家美术馆、新加坡警察部队以及为外籍劳工提供福利的慈善机构 ItsRainingRaincoats。
另有19所学校因其在促进学生心理健康和福祉方面所做的努力而受到表彰，其中包括三所工艺教育学院（ITE）、新加坡理工学院、南洋理工大学和兀兰中学。