About CAL Caregivers Alliance Limited (CAL) is a professional non-profit organisation in Singapore dedicated to meeting the needs of caregivers of persons with mental health issues. CAL started operations in April 2012 and its founding members were Singapore Anglican Community Services, Caregivers’ Association of the Mentally Ill and BinjaiTree Limited. CAL’s work includes: o Reaching out to caregivers to provide support and training o Identifying and developing caregiver leaders who can provide peer support o Advocating on behalf of caregivers of persons with mental health issues About Mental Health in Singapore 1 in 7 of those resident in Singapore will suffer from a mental health issue in their lifetime. The most common of these are depression, obsessive compulsive disorders, anxiety disorders, and schizophrenia. Anyone can suffer from a mental health issue, and the economic and social impact in work lost (both for patients and caregivers) and the healthcare costs can be significant. Mental health is an area in need of much more attention. When one suffers from a mental health condition, the primary source of support is often from those closest – usually the family. Nevertheless, because of stigma and public perception, fewer than a third of those affected seek professional help.
