Kaohsiung Honored for Social Safety Net Excellence! 4 Outstanding Individuals and 1 Outstanding Group Recognized

Kaohsiung City’s efforts in advancing the social safety net have once again earned national recognition. On January 1, the Ministry of Health and Welfare held the '2026 Strengthening the Social Safety Net Outstanding Personnel and Groups Award Ceremony,' where Kaohsiung achieved remarkable success with four outstanding individuals and one outstanding group receiving honors. Standing out among numerous nominees nationwide, this achievement underscores Kaohsiung’s deep commitment to social welfare and its success in cross-network cooperation.

The awardees include Lin Ching-tai, Group Leader of the Kaohsiung Juvenile Counseling Committee; Hung Hsuan-hui, Social Worker from the Social Affairs Bureau’s Child and Youth Division; Wu Wen-fang, Social Work Supervisor at the Family Violence Prevention Center; and social worker Chen Ya-chun. The outstanding group award was granted to the Kaohsiung Psychological Rehabilitation Association.

Lin Ching-tai has long been dedicated to juvenile counseling, actively addressing pay disparities among staff caused by diverse funding sources. She established a tiered supervision system to foster a supportive work environment and promoted cross-network collaboration and innovative services, including launching a drama troupe, a self-media platform, and a youth incentive program, thereby strengthening youth support systems. Under her leadership, Kaohsiung ranked first among Taiwan’s six major cities in the 2025 on-site evaluation by the Central Juvenile Counseling Committee.

Hung Hsuan-hui has driven the 'Family Guardian Satellite' initiative, supporting NGOs to establish child and youth service hubs across all administrative districts in Kaohsiung, achieving 100% service coverage and serving over 1,000 children annually. Through the 'Co-Good Platform,' she has connected corporate resources to launch remote learning programs in remote areas such as Namasia and Taoyuan, reducing digital education gaps. She has also strengthened collaboration mechanisms between service hubs and social welfare centers.

Wu Wen-fang, with over 18 years of service at the Family Violence Prevention Center, has been deeply involved in domestic violence prevention. She established support and safety protocols for social workers and integrated legal and medical resources through the Injury Assessment Integration Program, enhancing victim protection efficiency. Drawing from her field experience, she developed the 'Service Program for Minors Causing Harm to Direct Family Members,' balancing family safety with the restoration of parent-child relationships.

Chen Ya-chun has served for years at the centralized screening and referral center, handling over 1,000 emergency calls and successfully resolving 275 crisis cases. She led 56 family care officers in implementing the 'Child and Family Care Service Program,' developing the 'Hsiung安心 Parenting Kit' and home visit toolkits, embodying the principle of early detection and early intervention in the social safety net, cumulatively serving over 5,000 individuals.

The Kaohsiung Psychological Rehabilitation Association, recipient of the outstanding group award, has operated the 'Hsiung Chan Clubhouse' since 2022, continuously supporting individuals with mental health conditions in rebuilding their daily living and work capabilities. To date, 63 members have stabilized their community participation. Through recovery action camps, campus outreach, and international seminars, the association has strengthened support networks for people with mental health conditions and raised public awareness of mental health issues.

The Kaohsiung City Government emphasized that the awardees represent diverse fields including youth counseling, child protection, domestic violence prevention, social worker support, and mental rehabilitation, reflecting the frontline efforts of social workers and NGOs in strengthening the social safety net. The city will continue to deepen inter-departmental and public-private collaborations to build a more comprehensive social safety protection system and safeguard citizen well-being.